Porter Gent tops off big B.C. Cup day for Mendoza with Classic win

Porter Gent, a convincing winner of the B.C. Cup Classic, capped off a big day for trainer Edgar Mendoza, who won three of the six $50,000 stakes races that made up the bulk of the eight-race B.C. Cup Day card at Hastings Monday.

With Amadeo Perez aboard, Porter Gent broke sharply in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, vied for the lead with Set to Shine through moderate interior fractions, took control entering the stretch turn and was never seriously threatened by At Attention, who finished willingly. The final margin was 1 1/2 lengths. Chase the Sun rallied to finish third.

Porter Gent paid $7.90 and posted a final time of 1:43.65.

A homebred 5-year-old son Second in Command, Porter Gent races for Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds.

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It was just the second time that Porter Gent, who now has an 8-7-1 record from 17 starts, tried a middle distance. His first came as a 3-year-old when he finished second in the Sir Winston Churchill. The $28,500 winner’s share of the purse brought his career earnings to $165,686.

“It was a great day,” said Mendoza. “We knew Porter Gent was going to try, he always does, and we were pretty confident he could go the distance. I am going to celebrate with the crew at the barn, go home, and come back tomorrow to get back to work.”

Mendoza said Porter Gent could make his next start in the $150,000 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs Aug. 14.

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The Mendoza-trained Legacy Square was very impressive beating his stablemate Bak to Liberty in the Nursery. With Efrain Hernandez aboard, Legacy Square had to steady sharply in the stretch but was able to rally late to edge Bak to Liberty by a half-length in the 6 1/2-furlong dash for 2-year-old colts and geldings. He paid $4.80 and posted a final time of 1:18.81.

A son of Lent, Legacy Square was bred in British Columbia by Christine Ammann. He races for Tod Mountain and James Redekop.

Perez rode Soaringforthesun to an upset victory in the Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial for Mendoza. He paid $12.90 for his three-length victory over Gunfighter in the 1 1/16-mile race. The final time was 1:43.89.

The homebred son of Sungold races for David and Sylvea Gregory.

In the one disappointment for Mendoza, heavily favored U Did It finished third after breaking poorly in the Hong Kong Jockey Club for 3-year-old fillies.

The Larry Grieve-trained Kloepatra paid $22.60 for her 7 1/4-length victory over Amanda in the 1 1/16-mile race. With Kimal Santo up, Kloepatra posted a final time of 1:45.91.

The Kentucky-bred daughter of Cairo Prince is owned by Wyn Racing Stables.

Loveandbeyond paid $27.20 and posted a final time of 1:19.47 for her half-length victory over Filly Fatale in the Debutante for 2-year-old fillies going 6 1/2 furlongs.

Loveandbeyond was ridden by Hernandez for trainer Mark Cloutier. The daughter of Counterforce is owned Martin A. Miller.

Infinite Patience paid $2.70 for her dominating 7 3/4-length romp over We B Three in the Distaff for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles. Her final time of 1:43.04 was the fastest at the meet at the distance.

The victory, her seventh straight for trainer Barbara Heads and jockey Antonio Reyes, cemented her position as the top filly or mare in western Canada.

Infinite Patience races for William DeCoursey and Ryan Nugent Hopkins. The 5-year-old daughter of Sungold was bred by DeCoursey.