Shipper Field Pass shuts down locals in Ontario Derby

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Kentucky shipper Field Pass collared the locals in deep stretch to take the Grade 3 Ontario Derby under a patient ride from Kazushi Kimura on Saturday at Woodbine.

The popular Queen’s Plate winner Mighty Heart led through honest fractions in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds. Malibu Mambo took up the chase in second, with Field Pass stalking inside in third while Belichick raced in midpack in fifth.

Malibu Mambo joined Mighty Heart on the lead entering the stretch, as Belichick joined the fray on the outside. Belichick hit the front inside the eighth pole, before Field Pass made a strong inside bid to score by a length, in a time of 1:48.35.

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Belichick finished second, and Malibu Mambo outlasted a fading Mighty Heart for third in the eight-horse field.

“He’s a classy horse,” Kimura said. “My plan was (to be) not too far back, but I didn’t want to send him to the front. I was just waiting to make my move.”

A son of Lemon Drop Kid, Field Pass ($7.70) earned $75,000 of the $134,000 purse for Three Diamonds Farm. He had been campaigned strictly on turf by trainer Mike Maker since winning his only other synthetic track start in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks over Turfway’s Polytrack in March.