Sir Winston survives stretch battle with Frosted Over in Valedictory
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Classic winner Sir Winston wore down stablemate Frosted Over in a thrilling stretch battle to take Sunday’s Grade 3 Valedictory at Woodbine, giving jockey Patrick Husbands a record fifth win in the closing-day feature.
Sir Winston, best known for winning the 2019 Belmont Stakes, raced on the outside in fifth through the first mile of the 1 1/2-mile marathon.
Collective Force set the early pace before War Bomber assumed command on the second of three turns, while Ontario Derby winner Frosted Over raced in third.
Sir Winston and Frosted Over both made a bid to vie for lead on the far turn, and they hooked up in the stretch before Sir Winston dug in late for a half-length score, in a time of 2:31.51.
Collective Force checked in third. He was followed by Burning Man, Win d’Oro, English Conqueror, War Bomber, Sir Sahib, Shangassah, Special Forces, Seventyseven Stone, Peace Seeker, and Theregoesjojo.
Jelgo broke down heading into the second turn, was pulled up, and was euthanized.
Husbands, who said after the race he will ponder retirement over the winter, broke favored Sir Winston from post 11.
“From looking at the Racing Form, there wasn’t really much speed in the race,” Husbands said. “I was drawn so wide. I wanted to cut the first corner. I never rode him (before). I made sure to get him out of there and then play it by year. He relaxed right off the bat. Four furlongs out, I said ‘lets go.’ ”
Trained by Mark Casse, Sir Winston earned $90,000 of the $155,700 purse for owner-breeder Tracy Farmer. The Kentucky-bred son of 1997 Queen’s Plate victor Awesome Again returned $5.70.