Zippy Gizmo gets up in final strides to take Bull Page
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Zippy Gizmo was the lone runner in Sunday’s $100,000 Bull Page Stakes at Woodbine with turf experience, and he came rolling late under Kazushi Kimura to prevail in the seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired male 2-year-olds.
Zippy Gizmo ($9.10) was bumped soundly at the break before trailing the six-horse field on the backstretch. Favored Meko Makee and Yacht Boy vied for the lead as Summer Commander took up the chase in third.
Zippy Gizmo closed inside in the stretch and Brave Dancer rallied outside from fifth. Zippy Gizmo got up in the final strides to win by a neck, in a time of 1:22.77 over the firm ground. Summer Commander hung in the final sixteenth and finished another half-length back in third.
Zippy Gizmo had graduated in his previous race in another main turf sprint, and trainer Kevin Attard felt that experience over the course that encircles the main track was an asset.
“I definitely think it’s a bonus,” Attard said. “Obviously, (young) horses aren’t used to being too close to the grandstand - hearing the crowd and seeing the crowd. It doesn’t hurt to get a trip over it. I’m really proud of him. I had the opportunity to work him on the training track turf a while back, and I thought he worked phenomenal out there. I thought he was impressive breaking his maiden. He’s not a big horse, but he’s got a lot of heart. He showed a lot of grit today.”
Zippy Gizmo is the first stakes winner for his sire, Amis Gizmo, who won the Grade 3 Ontario Derby and Prince of Wales Stakes in 2016. Both are owned by Ivan Dalos, who also bred Zippy Gizmo under the nom de plume of Tall Oaks Farm.
*** Attard also took the filly equivalent of the Bull Page on Sunday, the $100,000 Victorian Queen, with the fast-improving maiden War Painter.
With Patrick Husbands aboard, War Painter ($12.80) lagged behind the others about five lengths off the lead along the rail on the turn in the seven-furlong event.
Olivia Rose led while being tracked by the favored Never Silent, who made a threatening bid early in the stretch before tiring. War Painter rallied outside to score by a length over Olivia Rose, in a time of 1:21.70. Fourfiftyfour checked in third in the five-horse field.
War Painter is the first stakes winner for her sire, Danish Dynaformer, who romped in the 2015 Breeders’ Stakes after finishing second in the Queen’s Plate. She’s owned by the Canuck Racing Club, a new partnership of Canadians that includes famed bloodstock agent Donato Lanni.
“It’s a great way for people to get involved in a great sport and own a small fractional share of a horse,” Attard said. “Now, we’re in the winner’s circle with a stakes winner in the first year. It’s a pretty good start.”
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