War Bomber edges Treason to take King Edward

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - War Bomber ($14.90) beat out a stubborn Treason to capture Sunday’s Grade 2 King Edward, an important prep for next month’s Grade 1 Woodbine Mile.

War Bomber raced in second in the one-mile main turf event, while Treason set quick fractions on a clear lead.

War Bomber closed the gap early in the stretch and then hit the front near the eighth pole. Treason battled back in the final sixteenth, but War Bomber held his ground to win by a neck in a time of 1:32.41.

Lucky Score closed outside to beat out favored Shirl’s Speight for third. The Minkster finished fifth and was followed by Dancin in Da’nile, Bode’s Tipsy, Pao Alto and Conglomerate.

Rico Walcott rode War Bomber, a 5-year-old son of War Front, for trainer Norm McKnight.

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“I was going to play it by the break,” Walcott said. “I broke on top and then saw another horse take the lead, so I sat in behind the speed. I just waited for the right time to move. When I asked him down the lane, he gave me all he had. I just rode him down the lane as hard as I could. It was a good finish. I enjoyed it.”

War Bomber, a $25,000 claim by owner Bruno Schickedanz in 2021, earned $120,000 of the $205,700 purse.

***Canadiansweetheart won Saturday’s $131,250 Sweet Briar Too Stakes as the longest shot in the seven-horse field of fillies and mares.

With Leo Salles aboard, Canadiansweetheart tracked a trio of front-runners on the turn in the six-furlong turf sprint, including 3-5 favorite Clitheroe.

Canadiansweetheart came wide in the stretch to assume command near the eighth pole and then held off a late bid from Talk to Ya Later to prevail by three-quarters of a length, in a time of 1:08.68. Clitheroe edged out a troubled Hard Edge for fourth after flattening out in the final furlong.

“We got lucky with the perfect trip,” Salles said. “I came outside and when I asked her, she had a good turn of foot. Everything worked out good.”

A 3-year-old daughter of Ransom the Moon, Canadiansweetheart returned $75.70 and collected $75,000 in her first stakes success.

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