Pipit runs away with Victoria Stakes
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Pipit beat the boys from off the pace with ease under Patrick Husbands in Sunday’s $126,500 Victoria Stakes for 2-year-olds at Woodbine.
Favored Mattingly and Yacht Boy dueled up front in the 5 1/2-furlong dash, as Going Up and Pipit raced in a team about three lengths behind in the four-horse event.
Pipit went three-wide around the leaders on the turn and then hit the front approaching the eighth pole before drawing off to prevail by four lengths, in a time of 1:03.60.
Mattingly edged out Going Up for second, while Yacht Boy faded to fourth. Gotts Got It was scratched after acting up in the gate.
Pipit ($5.60) was supplemented to the Victoria by trainer Kevin Attard, who also entered the daughter of Quality Road against fillies in Saturday’s My Dear Stakes.
“The boy’s race looked like it was coming up on the lighter side,” Attard said. “One of the (nominees) ran at Saratoga (Saturday).”
Pipit was adding blinkers off a front-running second in her June 3 debut in a five-furlong maiden special, when she was ridden by the now sidelined Kazushi Kimura.
“I was a little disappointed with her first start,” Attard admitted. “I thought she was good enough to win first time out. She opened up a good lead and got to loafing, I thought. We came back and experimented with the blinkers. I thought she breezed well in the interim with them. We figured we’d give it a go today.”
Pipit banked $78,750 for the partnership of X-Men Racing 3, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing.
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