Despite a post 10 draw, Amazing Catch barrelled forward and sat a snug pocket trip to burst through an inside seam and win at double-digit odds in the $713,000 Canadian Trotting Classic for three-year-olds on Saturday night, Sept. 21 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
With Dexter Dunn in the bike, Amazing Catch crossed from the grandstand to the pylons alongside Myretirementdream (Scott Young) to a :27 first quarter while Sir Pinocchio (Jason Bartlett) promptly pulled outside in anticipation of Highland Kismet (Bob McClure), the 3-5 favourite, steamrolling down the wide path. Sir Pinocchio powered past Amazing Catch to the lead in the backstretch as Highland Kismet followed the cover, but then bobbled stride into a gallop and out of contention before the :56.2 half-mile mark.
Once Highland Kismet broke stride, Security Protected (Scott Zeron) sprung out of fifth to march forward and press Sir Pinocchio into the final turn. Sir Pinocchio maintained control by three-quarters in 1:24 but wavered off the pylons in the sprint for home, parting the sea for Amazing Catch to sail through. Amazing Catch punched to the lead and outfooted fast-closing 21-1 shot Private Access (Louis-Philippe Roy) to win by more than a length in a 1:51.4 mile, equalling the stakes record. Flying Kronos S (Yannick Gingras), at 65-1, rallied for third and Security Protected faded to fourth with Paquet (Jody Jamieson) grabbing fifth.
“He's had two 10-hole draws in classic races and put in two great efforts,” said Dunn, referring to tonight's victory and a third-place finish in the Hambletonian last month. “Obviously tonight was different; [in] the Hambo, we just went back to last and rode the inside. But [tonight], he had to work out there pretty hard, and we got a good helmet after that and he really sprinted through. But you know, he just felt fantastic tonight.
“He's a lovely horse,” added Dunn. “He was racing some heavy hitters, so it's not easy out there all the time. But you know, he hasn't put too many bad efforts in.”
Ake Svanstedt trains Amazing Catch, a colt by Walner out of Mets Life who has now won three races from 15 starts and earned $887,530 for owners Al Libfeld of Pickering, Ont., Marvin & Lynn Katz and Sam Goldband of Toronto.
“He's been in all the big races, and in fact, there in the Hambletonian, if he hadn't gotten interfered, I think he could have won it,” said Katz. “He was that close. And I think Dexter felt the same way. He raced well in the Poconos [finishing third in the Beal] and hasn't raced for a month. It was the same with [tonight's Elegantimage winner] French Champagne. So when they both came here last week, they just needed the race. But clearly both of them were ready. I said to Sarah [Svanstedt], their plans and their organization for these horses are incomparable, and they deserve all the credit.”
Sent off at odds of 19-1, Amazing Catch paid $41.30 to win.
Dunn, Svanstedt and co-owners Libfeld and Katz also celebrated victory three races earlier in the filly companion stakes event with Elegantimage winner French Champagne.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(With files from Woodbine)