Utmost shuts down Tiz a Slam in Sky Classic Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Maryland shipper Utmost ($5.60) put away the favored Tiz a Slam in the stretch en route to a determined score in the Grade 2, 1 3/8-mile Sky Classic Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

Tiz a Slam set moderate fractions over a course rated good, while Utmost stalked in second under Alan Garcia. Utmost hit the front exiting the far turn, and then held Tiz a Slam at bay throughout the stretch to prevail by a length, in a time of 2:17.61.

Seeking Albert finished a distant third, after stalking the leaders along the inside in third. Black Sea wound up fourth, and Drumcliff was pulled up on the backstretch after his saddle slipped. Danish Dynaformer was scratched, reducing the field size to five.

“I talked to (jockey) Sheena Ryan, because she gets on him in the morning sometimes,” Garcia said. “She said he’s a nice, classy horse, and you’re going to love him. She was right. I was only worried about the horses in the back. Turning for home, I saw nobody was coming. He was the best today.”

A 4-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway, Utmost earned $110,250 of the $186,250 purse for Augustin Stable and trainer Graham Motion.