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Pick Pony | Oct. 14, 2024, 9:41 p.m.
Thundering, the longest shot on the board at 10-1, stormed home to take the seven-furlong $125,000 Display Stakes, for 2-year-olds, Sunday at Woodbine.
First-time starter War of Destiny went straight to the front in the six-horse field followed by Mansetti, He’s Not Joking, and Thundering, who was off a step slowly, as the leader carved out an opening quarter in a modest :24.07.
Mansetti, who won his debut, then took over the lead just ahead of the half in :47.17, as Eswan Flores, aboard Thundering, waited for the right moment to pounce on the frontrunners from in between rivals.
That decision came around the turn for home when Flores called on the bay gelding for his best run and the Patrick Dixon trainee responded with a lightning-quick turn of foot to confidently seize control in upper stretch.
Others, including eventual runner-up and fellow Maryland-bred Bucaro, and He’s Not Joking, who slotted in third, attempted to reel in Thundering down the lane, but the maiden-breaking winner was never seriously threatened, crossing the wire 1 ¼ lengths on top.
The final time was 1:23.64.
“We talked in the morning, me and Pat [Dixon], and that was kind of the scenario we thought it was going to follow, just try to be as close as possible to the pace, and the pace wasn't too fast," said Flores. "So, we were right there and just waiting for the time to let him go.
“So, I wasn't too impatient. I was just waiting for the right time. I didn't want to get him up in the front by himself too early. I was just waiting as long as possible.”
Thundering debuted on Sept. 15 at Woodbine.
Sent off at 6-1 in the seven-furlong maiden special weight race, he settled outside along the backstretch, was four to five wide on the turn, and then advanced to be six-deep at the head of the lane. Despite drifting in down the stretch, Thundering netted the show award, 3 ¼ lengths behind the winner.
“We always really liked this horse from the very first time I got him,” said Dixon, who trains for owner and breeder Dastur Racing. “We nominated him for the stake because we liked him so much. So, we said, ‘Okay, well, let's give him a try.’
“He always has to do something once before he figures it out, and he just takes a little bit of time. Coming out of that first race, he was like a bear. He just turned into a complete racehorse.”
Sired by Mosler out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Keep Right, Thundering paid $23.90 for Sunday’s milestone win.
Winterberry and jockey Sahin Civaci made a decisive, winning move into the turn for home in the $125,000 Glorious Song Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine.
Owned by D.J. Stable LLC and trained by Mark Casse, the dark bay filly landed fourth early in the seven-furlong main track event for 2-year-old fillies, as stablemate Souper Supreme struck front and took her five foes through an opening panel in :22.86.
Nata Trouble then took a slim lead before the half in :45.70, followed by Neenah, and Winterberry, while Souper Supreme quickly fell out of contention.
Just ahead of the turn for home, Winterberry blew by her rivals with an outside rush and began to stride away in upper stretch. Ahead by five lengths at the stretch call, the sizable advantage began to diminish in the late going, as another stablemate, Charlotte’s Heart came calling with a vigorous run.
At the wire, Winterberry held for a three-quarter length score. Nata Trouble was third and Miss Saugerties was fourth.
The final time was 1:22.92.
“Before she even ran her first race, I got on her, worked her a couple times, and she's a pretty nice horse,” said Civaci, who won five races, two of them for Casse, on Saturday.
“Patrick’s [jockey, Husbands] horse [Souper Supreme], I thought he would be on the lead, and I don't think we both had a good start there. I was in a comfortable spot. Had to take a wide trip, but the horses up front tired, so I managed to get inside, and she kicked on.”
It was the first stakes trophy and second win from three starts for Winterberry, who won her debut on Aug. 24 at Woodbine, before a sixth in the Summer Stakes (G1T) on Sept. 14.
Bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms Ont. Inc., the daughter of Frosted was a $210,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale.
Sent off as the 3-5 choice, Winterberry, out of the Bellamy Road mare Dreams Are Free, paid $3.40.