Canadian-Breds Finish One Two at Gulfstream Park
Although Canada boasts a thriving horseracing industry, it's pretty small
compared to the horseracing industry boasted by its neighbours to the south,
which is why when Canadian-bred horses do well in the United States, it's a
great feather in the cap for the Canadian thoroughbred breeding industry.
On Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Florida for instance, two Canadian runners
wowed betting fans in the $100,000 Appleton Stakes (Gr 3) for
four-year-olds and up. Both bred in Ontario, Rahy's Attorney and Society's
Chairman started the 7 1/2 furlong turf race as the second and third
favourites respectively.
While from the start Society's Chairman was more than happy to sit at the back
of the pack even though early leader Storm Play was setting a slow pace, Rahy's
Attorney was hot on Storm Play's heels. The order did not change much until
Society's Chairman swung wide into the stretch and hit the ignite button.
The 7-year-old horse rocketed up the field as the line fast approached, closing
in on 6-year-old gelding Rahy's Attorney who looked like he had the race sewn
up. But just as betting fans who backed Rahy's Attorney were beginning to cheer,
he was pipped on the line by a nose belonging to Society's Chairman.
Said Society's Chairman trainer Roger Attfield, 'That was a thrilling race.
Rahy's Attorney's is trained by my best friend [Ian Black] and it was exciting
to finally beat him. He'd been training very well into the race, but suffered a
little abscess in his foot two and a half weeks ago which forced me to miss a
little time.'
No stranger to each other, the thoroughbreds have raced many times before, but
this was the first time that Society's Chairman got the better of Rahy's
Attorney. Owned by Charles Fipke, Society's Chairman was ridden to victory by
Jose Lezcano in 1:27.29 over a firm turf course and paid a hefty $14.20.
Continued Attfield, 'A mile is probably Society's Chairman's best distance and
he likes a shorter stretch rather than the longer one at Woodbine. I'll take him
to Kentucky and perhaps run him once there or just wait until we back home
[Woodbine] and run in the Connaught Cup early in the meet again.'
