Reporting Star gets nose in front to win Play the King

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Reporting Star rallied stoutly along the inside to edge out a charging Tower of Texas to capture Sunday’s Grade 2 Play the King Stakes, a prep for next month’s Grade 1 Woodbine Mile.

The favored shipper Bobby’s Kitten was on the muscle early in the seven-furlong turf sprint, during which he hooked up with Stacked Deck through splits of 22.32 seconds and 45.01.

Reporting Star saved ground in fourth on the turn under Luis Contreras and closed in unison with Tower of Texas through the stretch. The latter hit the front on the outside at the eighth pole, before getting nailed on the wire by Reporting Star, who prevailed by a nose in 1:20.66 over the firm ground.

Kaigun outran the 3-year-old Passion for Action to finish a distant third. Platinum Glory wound up fifth and was followed by Stacked Deck, Bobby’s Kitten. and Hot Hot Heat.

Reporting Star earned $120,000 of the $215,200 purse for Copper Water Thoroughbred Company and trainer Pat Parente.

“It was a perfect stalking trip,” said Parente. “He had them in his sights. When he has a horse in his sights, he’ll run ’em down.”

Parente was non-committal regarding whether or not he’ll run Reporting Star back in the Woodbine Mile, which is expected to attract two-time Mile winner Wise Dan.