Woodbine: Biamonte sweeps juvenile sales stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Ralph Biamonte had a career day at Woodbine on Monday, winning both $200,000 stakes for 2-year-olds, which were the richest of six added-money races for graduates of local yearling sales on the card.

The Biamonte-trained duo of Menlo Castle and Where’s Johnson ran one-two in the Simcoe, for male juveniles. Menlo Castle romped by 7 3/4 lengths under Patrick Husbands, completing the 6 1/2-furlong distance in a quick 1:16.25.

“Menlo Castle had the benefit of a [recent] race, whereas Where’s Johnson didn’t,” Biamonte said. “Where’s Johnson is as good as him, but I was a little afraid of the six and a half. The stretchout was better for Menlo Castle.”

Rose and Shine ($8.60) overcame traffic problems to capture the Muskoka for 2-year-old fillies, scoring by three-quarters of a length over the debuting Dixie Strike. Eurico Da Silva rode Rose and Shine, who ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.78.

“There was a lot of traffic, but I got lucky when a little hole opened,” Da Silva said. “I had a lot of horse. I was very confident, because I knew when I needed her, that she’d be there for me. She was traveling very well.”

Quick Code ($20.10) won the first of four $125,000 yearling sales stakes for older runners, the six-furlong Kenora. Trained by Mike DePaulo, Quick Code rallied five wide under Justin Stein to beat Arepeatee by a head in 1:09.93.

Bug’s Boy, an 8-year-old owned by 11-year-old Douglas Leblanc and his mother, Maggie, registered a 74-1 upset in the Halton. With Omar Moreno aboard, the John LeBlanc-trained Bug’s Boy overhauled 3-5 favorite Society’s Chairman in deep stretch to win the about one-mile turf route in 1:38.71.

The upsets continued in the Algoma, when 23-1 outsider Euro Platinum collared 18-1 front-runner Tee Game on the wire to take 1 1/16-mile route for fillies and mares. Corey Fraser got a leg up from owner-trainer Audre Cappuccitti on Euro Platinum, who covered the distance in 1:44.58.

Medidocihospisurge ($28.10) came wide from off a lively pace under Jesse Campbell to take the Elgin for males. Steve Chircop trains the winner, who edged out Hippolytus to prevail in a time of 1:44.88 for the 1 1/16 miles.