Woodbine: Pender Harbour starts CTHS Sales Stakes by winning Elgin; five other stakes run on card

Yearling sales stakes recap
By Ron Gierkink
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Reigning Canadian champion 3-year-old Pender Harbour's picture is on the cover of this year's Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's yearling sale catalog, so it was only fitting that he won the first of six stakes for graduates of the sale on Monday at Woodbine.

Pender Harbour ($2.50) took control on the backstretch in the $125,000 Elgin, and never looked back, scoring by 5 3/4 lengths over last year's Elgin winner, Medidocihospisurg. Opening Meet was third in the five-horse field.

Luis Contreras got a leg up from trainer Mike DePaulo on Pender Harbour, who covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.74.

Tee Game ($8.60) set all the fractions in the other 1 1/16-mile stakes on the card, the $125,000 Algoma for females, and prevailed by 2 1/4 lengths under Richard Dos Ramos.

"Richard rode a spectacular race on her," said Sam DiPasquale, who trains Tee Game. "Our strategy was to not get trapped on the rail by [Casa Loma]. She decided to start running early, and Richard stayed still until the [stretch]."

Tee Game's final time of 1:45.78 was just .04 of a second slower than Pender Harbour's clocking. Favored Casa Loma finished a clear second over Awfully Sinful, while second choice Awesome Fire trailed the five-horse field.

The Mark Casse-trained 2-year-olds Dynamic Sky, Honorable Guest, and Star Contender swept the first three positions in the $200,800 Simcoe.

Contreras rode Dynamic Sky ($14.60), who dueled with even-money favorite Honorable Guest through the stretch to win by a head, in 1:17.70 for 6 1/2 furlongs. First-timer Star Contender was a distant third in the 10-horse field.

Cryptic Message ($3.60) remained unbeaten in the $200,800 Muskoka, a 6 1/2-furlong dash for 2-year-old fillies. With Eurico Da Silva aboard, she ran the distance in a slow 1:19.36 while scoring by 3 3/4 lengths over a pair of 17-1 shots, Evangeline's Hope and Sarah Her Highness.

Trained by Ralph Biamonte, Cryptic Message has won four races, including three restricted stakes.

Welloiledmachine ($7) held off favored Aldous Snow to capture the $125,400 Halton by 1 3/4 s under Jim McAleney. Trained by Mike Keogh, Welloiledmachine covered a mile on the grass in 1:34.34.

Bear's Chill ($7.60) closed wide from off a rapid pace to take the $125,000 Kenora by 1 1/2 lengths over his former stablemate, Bear No Joke. With Patrick Husbands up, Bear's Chill ran six furlongs in 1:11.42 in his first start off the $62,500 claim by trainer Sid Attard.