Town Cruise scores front-running upset in Woodbine Mile

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Local speedster Town Cruise was bet down to 8-1 in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1,120,800 Woodbine Mile, and the late bloomer outran a good field to win the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re in qualifier under last year’s Queen’s Plate-winning rider, Daisuke Fukumoto.

Town Cruise went straight to the front and was pressed early by English invader Duke of Hazzard through a slow quarter of 24.08 seconds. Town Cruise opened up a clear lead before a half in 47.10 and went the three-quarters in 1:10.41 on a two-length cushion.

A host of runners made up ground in the stretch, but Town Cruise was never seriously threatened and scored by 2 1/4 lengths, in a time of 1:35.14, over a course labeled as good.

Space Traveller finished second by three-quarters of a length over Raging Bull. March to the Arch, Ride a Comet, Duke of Hazzard, favored Set Piece, Olympic Runner, Avie’s Flatter, and Change of Control completed the order of finish.

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“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said Fukumoto, who won the 2020 Plate on Mighty Heart. “I had pretty good confidence. I just knew for a shot to take [the] front. He went good. I took the lead and wait and wait and he finished well.”

Including a lucrative Ontario-bred bonus, Town Cruise earned $720,000 for owner-trainer Brandon Greer, who also grooms the son of Ontario sire Town Prize. He was bred by Greer and his father, Terry Greer, who said the 6-year-old won’t be going on to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup Mile, for which the gelding would have to be supplemented.

“It’s so different down there,” Terry Greer said. “You’d have to get him used to it and the whole business. This is a certain place here. We wouldn’t like it there.”

The connections felt that going off Lasix for the race wasn’t a detriment to Town Cruise.

“I actually thought he’d like not having Lasix,” Brandon Greer said.

Town Cruise paid $19.30 in his first stakes success. It was his third win from four starts at the meet.