Woodbine: Stradivinsky romps

Favored Stradivinsky came close to a record-breaking performance in the $126,200 Jacques Cartier, the first stakes of the Woodbine meeting.

Stradivinsky ($5.50) scored by 7 3/4 lengths over Judiths Wild Rush, Canada's reigning champion sprinter. His six-furlong clocking, 1:09.68, was just .26 of a second off the track record, which was set by Riva's Tribute over a much quicker surface last September.

Stradivinsky dueled along the inside with V S O P Please and L'Argent through on opening quarter-mile in 22.20 seconds. He opened up a clear lead on the turn through a half in 44:52, then coasted home under a hand ride from Emma-Jayne Wilson.

"He just ran them off their feet," said Wilson.

It was the third win in four starts over Woodbine's Polytrack for Stradivinsky, who banked $75,000 in his first stakes score for Live Oak Plantation and trainer Malcolm Pierce.

Judiths Wild Rush rallied belatedly along the inside to edge Are You Serious by a nose for second.