On Saturday, an attractive meeting at the Woodbine Race Course in Canada offered especially the 2022 E P Taylor Stakes, where Rougir recorded her second G1 victory among the fillies and mares. Prior to that event, Cazadero scored the G1 Nearctic Stakes, rallying from last to first, while Who’s The Star employed the same tactic to deliver in the G3 Durham Cup Stakes.
Nearctic Stakes
The G2 turf race lures in a field of eight three-year-old and older sprinters who covered the distance of six furlongs. Bound For Nowhere (17-20) was the leading candidate to snatch up the victory and most of the purse of $250,000; however, he didn’t find an answer to Cazadero’s (41-5) finish.
The four-year-old gelding galloped in the last place, remaining there until the final stretch. Patrick Husbands took him outside, then urged him forward, and the Brendan Walsh bound bay accelerated beautifully.
Easily, he swung by all his rivals, including Bound For Nowhere, and scored the race in 1m 9.11s, leaving the mentioned veteran behind by two and ¼ of a length. Silent Poet (99-10) was third.
Although Cazadero bagged his premiere Graded victory in 2020 and he hasn’t drawn on that performance until Saturday.
The son of Street Sense couldn’t win even at the Listed or black-type stage as his last year’s maximum was scoring an Allowance; however, everything went into his stride in the Nearctic Stakes as the jockey provided him with an exemplary patient ride.
Eight-year-old Bound For Nowhere ran a good race, too, given he had to angle the turn wide, which cost him some energy, and he still managed to take the lead for some time. Subsequently, he settled for second place in front of Silent Poet.
Nearctic Stakes Horse Race Video
@horseracingtote Cazadero scored the G1 Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine #Horseracing #Horseracingtips #Horsesoftiktok #Horses #Horse #FYP #Sports
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Durham Cup Stakes
In this G3 event on the all-weather surface, the favorite utterly failed to make an impact as underestimated Who’s The Star (91-10) scored this $150,000 race.
He handled the distance of a mile and half a furlong from the last position as Emma-Jayne Wilson successfully navigated the four-year-old gelding in between the rivals to have a clear shot at leading horses in the final stretch.
The Mark Casse bound bay rallied forward and caught Artie’s Storm (23-5) in time to prevail in 1m 40.73s. The mentioned opponent finished second by half a length, while War Bomber (36-5) snatched up third place.
The Tonalist son Who’s The Star aimed at the Durham Cup Stakes after he finished eighth in the G3 Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes, which was his only Graded performance until Saturday.
Before that, he was running only among maidens and scored two Allowance wins; plus, in July, he hinted he could be better than that when bagging a black-type event.
Still, as he flopped at the Kentucky Downs, he wasn’t expected to give such a bold performance, but on Saturday, he just looked unstoppable by any of the obstacles the race faced him with.
He caught Artie’s Storm off guard as the anticipated contestant was close to recording his second Graded win, yet the four-year-old bay had to settle for second place. War Bomber was third, while preferred Frosted Over (47-20) confirmed a serious drop in his form when managing only fifth place.
Durham Cup Stakes Horse Race Video
@horseracingtote Who’s The Star claims the 2022 Durham Cup Stakes #Horseracing #Horseracingtips #Horsesoftiktok #Horses #FYP #sport #Horse
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2022 E P Taylor Stakes
The pinnacle of the card attracted a field of nine three-year-old and older fillies and mares who competed for the purse of $750,000.
They covered the distance of a mile and a quarter in this G1 turf race, impaired by interference in the final stretch; however, the victress had entirely nothing to do with it.
Four-year-old Rougir (53-10) galloped in the second half of the pack, where she stayed until the final stretch. Kazushi Kimuro relied on the filly’s turn-of-foot, which she superbly delivered in the final stretch and passed by all her rivals.
The Chad Brown chestnut triumphed in 2m 2.62s, with Moira (23-20) taking the second position initially, but she caused an interference, badly hampered one of her rivals, and was demoted to eighth place consequently.
Therefore, Flirting Bridge (35-4) was second by half a length, with Fev Rover (19-2) taking third place.
Despite her lackluster 2022 performances at the G1 scene, Rougir was highly regarded for the E. P. Taylor Stakes, and rightfully so, as her effort was breathtaking.
She hasn’t shown anything like this among the elite since scoring the G1 Prix de l’Opera in France, suggesting she could be a true autumn filly who gets into the best shape in October. After Moira was disqualified, Flirting Bridge was the best of a bunch fighting for the place, taking second in front of Fer Rover.
2022 E P Taylor Stakes Horse Race Video
@horseracingtote Rougir wins the 2022 E. P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine #Horseracing #Horseracingtips #Horsesoftiktok #Horses #FYP #sport #Horse
♬ original sound – horseracingtote
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