War Strategy shrugs off chaotic start to take Kennedy Road
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Longshot War Strategy prevailed at Woodbine under a patient ride from Sahin Civaci in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,500 Kennedy Road, which was marred by a tumultuous start.
Favored My Boy Prince reared up and unseated Fraser Aebly at the break in the six-furlong sprint. Normally a front-runner, War Strategy raced about 4 1/2 lengths off the lead at the back of the pack as Arbiter set a fast pace while being pressed by the classy veteran Nobals.
War Strategy saved ground late on the turn and was angled outside for the drive before collaring Arbiter in the final sixteenth to score by a length, in a time of 1:09.77.
Arbiter barely held on for second over a wide-closing Victory Achieved. Ready to Collect, Nobals and G T Five Hundred completed the order of finish.
“There were a few horses that were acting up in the gate,” Civaci said. “(War Strategy) was standing really good until the last moment, and then took a bad step. We ended up trailing the field.
“He has an enormous competitive mindset. He’s just an amazing horse. He’s a big fighter. He always shows up. He just loves running.”
War Strategy was a $32,000 claim May 30 by TEC Racing and trainer Mike Wright Jr. from Mark Casse, the trainer of My Boy Prince and Victory Achieved.
“He’s done everything right,” Wright Jr. said. “He’s lost just one race for us - got beat to Two Out Hero. He’s been a very exciting horse.”
A 7-year-old son of War Front, War Strategy paid $20.80 and earned $120,000 in his first stakes victory.
*** Meilani ($14.30) annexed her second stakes of the meet in the inaugural running of the $133,000 Majorette for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday.
Meilani got away slowly when bumped before saving ground near the rear of the field on the backstretch in the six-furlong sprint. Bells of Paradise led along the rail and then made her way to the two-path while on her left lead in the stretch, enabling Meilani to scoot up the inside late to prevail by a half-length, in a time of 1:10.57.
Bells of Paradise, at 9-1, edged out the favored Piper’s Gift for second in the eight-horse field.
Rafael Hernandez rode Meilani for trainer Kevin Attard, who also sent her out to win the Alywow Stakes here in June.
“On paper, there looked like a lot of speed,” Attard said. “She likes to play early herself. Sometimes, when you miss the break, it works out in your favor. And I think in this particular case today, it might have helped us.”
Meilani banked $75,000 for the partnership of X-Men Racing V and Madaket Stables.
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