Trainer Mark Casse has long believed that Stealcase is a colt of very fine quality. His opinion was vindicated this afternoon at Woodbine racecourse when the three-year-old colt rallied for a decisive victory in the $150,000 Ontario Derby (gr. III), the first stakes victory of Stealcase's career.
With jockey Patrick Husbands aboard, Stealcase broke a bit slowly and found himself toward the rear of the seven-horse field early on while Gung Ho set a moderate pace of :24.74 and :49.96 seconds. Colleen's Sailor and Ultimate Destiny were his closest pursuers, with Any Given Royal and River Rush in mid-pack. Peyton was the early trailer.
Gung Ho continued to lead the way through three-quarters of a mile in 1:14.04 seconds, and turning for home, he appeared to have a shot at stealing the race in gate-to-wire fashion. However, the colt began to weaken in the homestretch, allowing Any Given Royal to take a brief lead. But Stealcase was finishing strongest of all on the far outside, sweeping past horses inside the eighth pole to win the race by 1 1/4 lengths. The final time was 1:50.56 seconds.
Any Given Royal held off River Rush to finish second, followed then by Gung Ho, Colleen's Sailor, Peyton, and Ultimate Destiny.
The winner is owned by John C. Oxley and was bred by Secret Whispers Partnership. A son of Lawyer Ron out of the Cat Thief mare Steal the Show, Stealcase has now won three of his eleven starts and has earnings to $313,619.
-Keelerman
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