Woodbine: Paso Doble rallies to win Shepperton Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Paso Doble ($4.90) danced his way into the winner’s circle as the 124-pound highweight in the $125,400 Shepperton Stakes on holiday Monday at Woodbine.

The pace was slow in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, and second choice Phil’s Dream assumed command into the stretch after tracking the early leader, Executive Five. Paso Doble rallied wide from midpack to hit the front at the sixteenth pole en route to a 1 1/2-length score in 1:16.39.

Spirit Warnings held off another longshot, Seeley’s Bay, to finish third, and Phil’s Dream weakened to fourth in the nine-horse field of Ontario-sired runners.

Eurico Rosa da Silva rode Paso Doble for Centennial Farm (Niagara) Inc. and trainer Mark Casse.

“I was worried because the pace at the beginning wasn’t very fast,” da Silva said. “But the horse relaxed very well, and when I pushed him, he moved very, very fast.”