Trainer Kris Di Cenzo was handed an unraced two-year-old this past October. After having proven that he is a player on the Woodbine Entertainment Group's early three-year-old stakes schedule
, does Willies Place have what it takes to tackle the Burlington and Pepsi North America Cup?
"It may be wishful thinking on my part, but I think that he is just going to get better along with the better company that he faces," Di Cenzo told Trot Insider, just days after the bay Artsplace colt tactically captured the $60,000 final of the Youthful Pacing Series at Woodbine Racetrack.
The field for the Youthful finale was forced to deal with a strong headwind in the lane last Friday night. The Woodbine card had showed slow final quarters throughout -- something that Di Cenzo and Willies Place's driver, Luc Ouellette, definitely noticed.
"We were racing later that night (Race 9) and I did notice that the front had been holding up pretty well," Di Cenzo said. "I don't tell drivers what to do, but Luc and I did discuss some things before the race. Given the way the track was playing on Friday night, I didn't think it would be best to come from off the pace."
Having gotten the job done without utilizing what Di Cenzo believes is Willies Place's best weapon, the son of Artsplace left from the gate, placed himself in the two-hole and followed Ashton Seelster (driven by Randy Waples) through fractions which were cut in :27.1, :55.3 and 1:23.2. Ouellette popped Willies Place out as the duo turned into the stretch. They dueled with a dead-game Ashton Seelster the rest of the way and just got up by a late head in a new life's mark of 1:53.1.
"I think he really is a better horse from off the pace," Di Cenzo told Trot Insider. "It doesn't seem to matter what speed they're going. The one thing that I don't think you're going to see is him winning by large margins. He's going to do enough to get the job done."
The trainer told Trot Insider that Willies Place came out the race perfectly and that he was just bouncing the next day. "He takes care of himself really well," said Di Cenzo. "He's either sleeping or bouncing around."
Di Cenzo conveyed that he was very glad that he was given the chance to train Willies Place, who in eight starts has paced to a record of 3-2-0, good for $66,556 in purses.
"I've really liked him since Day 1, but he's a really lazy colt," the trainer said, "it doesn't matter if he's going in 2:40 or 2:04. He's really a typical Artsplace in that sense, but regardless, these are the types of horses that you just love the opportunity to train.
"If all goes according to plan, he'll be in to contest The Diplomat and then the Burlington and hopefully the NA Cup."
Willies place has been assessed at odds of 65-1 in Trot Magazine's 2010 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book.