Undulated invades to win Swynford Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Maryland shipper Undulated came from left field in Sunday’s fast-paced Swynford Stakes to prevail by three-quarters of a length, giving jockey Alan Garcia a sweep of the weekend Woodbine stakes.

Katalox and Wellabled dueled through suicidal fractions of 20.95 and 44.09 seconds in the six-furlong dash for 2-year-olds. Uncle B inherited the lead nearing the eighth pole and was overtaken late by the wide-closing Undulated, who stopped the timer in 1:10.26.

Sailing Home, the even-money favorite, rallied inside and had to alter course in the stretch before ending up third in the five-horse field.

Trainer Cathal Lynch said Undulated was scratched from a recent stakes at Aqueduct after kicking the wall in his stall, and the Swynford was his next option.

Garcia, who also won Saturday’s Sir Barton Stakes on Freitag, said the race set up perfectly for him.

“[Lynch] said you can put this horse wherever you want,” said Garcia. “The speed was crazy. My horse was comfortable, relaxing. By the three-eighths pole, I asked him to run. I knew they were going to stop, and I knew my horse was going to come with a great kick. He’s going to have a good future.”

Undulated banked $75,000 of the $128,500 purse in his first stakes score for M M G Stable, which purchased the son of Curlin for $625,000 as a 2-year-old in training.

Two past Swynford winners – Sunny’s Halo and Mine That Bird – both went on to capture the Kentucky Derby, and Lynch mentioned the Derby as a long-term possibility for Undulated.