Reload Raleigh holds on, takes Frost King

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Reload Raleigh put away the other speed before holding on to prevail in Sunday’s $100,500 Frost King, the second of two seven-furlong stakes for Ontario-sired 2-year-olds on the Woodbine card.

Reload Raleigh vied for the lead with Imyourmedicineman and Big Bold and First on the backstretch while hugging the rail under Ryan Munger.

The other speed began to back up at the quarter pole before Souper Sporty took dead aim at Reload Raleigh entering the stretch. Bull Page Stakes victor Silver Is Best made up ground steadily in the final furlong, only to fall a head short of Reload Raleigh, who won in a time of 1:24.99.

Souper Sporty faded to third. He was followed by Auntie’s Bambino, Big Bold and First, Streetshavenoname, B the King, Imyourmedicineman, and Bank on Big Winner.

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Reload Raleigh ($9.10) collected $60,000 for owner Kevin Drew and trainer Barbara Minshall.

“I thought he would (hold on),” Munger said. “I’ll be honest - he felt like he was looking for company. From the top of the lane, he was running on the wrong lead - he was running towards the rail. He just needed company to join him. Once that horse joined him, he was probably going to fight on again.”

*** Fresh off a maiden-claiming score, Zabarta won the filly version of the Frost King, the $100,000 South Ocean, while giving jockey Desean Bynoe his first stakes win.

Zabarta ($29.50) trailed in eighth until the quarter pole before Bynoe angled her outside to commence a rally. She hit the front at the eighth pole before coasting home on top by seven lengths, in a time of 1:24.61.

Pageant Queen beat out her stablemate, Sipping History, for second. Favored Souper Diva faded from second to fourth and was followed by Splash of Bourbon, Hot Stuff Baby, Morerita, and Cayenne Kiss.

“She’s very game,” Bynoe said. “I think she waits on me to ask her and just goes. It makes the job a bit easier. I know she’s got that one kick. I was just being patient.”

Trained by Bill Tharrenos, Zabarta banked $60,000 for owner Tara Horse Farm.

“She showed us a little bit of promise earlier on in the spring,” Tharrenos recalled. “She had a couple of little issues - attitude problems. She’s getting better.”

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