Seffeara gained valuable experience in Clarendon win

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Seffeara impressed the crowd in his career debut June 8, when he set a 4 1/2-furlong track record, and he built on that performance Saturday, when he captured the $150,000 Clarendon Stakes.

But heading into the far turn on the lead, Seffeara didn’t look like the winner, as he backed up along the rail.

“I was a little disheartened when I saw that,” said trainer Steve Owens. “He’s still a young, green 2-year-old who’s still figuring things out. But I was impressed with his late speed when it was called upon.”

Seffeara rallied under jockey Gary Boulanger and crossed the line 1 1/2 lengths in front of Conquest Typhoon. Owens said Seffeara’s experience working behind other horses in the morning helped in the Clarendon.

“We breezed him in a little bit of company so that he knows what’s going on when he’s around horses because obviously in his first race, he was speed-oriented,” he said. “Most of his workouts in company have been tactical, where he’s sat with them, and when it’s been called upon him to go, off he went.”

Owens didn’t have a next start picked out, but Seffeara could be pointed toward the $150,000 Vandal Stakes for Ontario-bred 2-year-olds on Aug. 16, avoiding Victoria Stakes winner Conquest Tsunami, who’s nominated to the July 26 Colin Stakes.

“We’re going to try to plan out a little schedule for him,” Owens said. “I wanted to get this race in because Mark Casse’s Conquest Tsunami is a really nice 2-year-old. It worked out well for us.”