Journalists Wandering Eyes Posted July 25, 2018 Journalists Share Posted July 25, 2018 Gary Barber’s Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d’Oro), who bested the boys in the June 30 Queen’s Plate, garnered the second leg of Canada’s Triple Crown with a dominant victory in the Prince of Wales S. at Fort Erie Tuesday evening. The dark bay, sent off the 2-5 favorite, was making her first start over a sloppy track and was uncharacteristically on the lead with Aheadbyacentury (Midnight Lute) in close attendance through fractions of :23.64 and :48.03. She took charge turning for home and exploded down the stretch, splashing home a 5 3/4-length winner and becoming the sixth filly to win the Prince of Wales. “I was warming her up and the more I was warming her up, the more I was thinking, I can’t have her behind horses today, because the track doesn’t look right for her,” winning jockey John Velazquez said of the change in strategy. “I wanted to keep her comfortable up front and it worked out really well. She’s never been on the lead, with me anyway. She’s always close, but not actually on the lead like she was today. So we learned something about her today.” Wonder Gadot, winner of last year’s GIII Mazarine S. at Woodbine and GII Demoiselle S. at Aqueduct, was Canada’s champion juvenile filly of 2017. On the board in four straight stakes to open 2018, she battled Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) down the stretch at Churchill Downs before finishg second, beaten just a half-length by the likely Eclipse Champion, in the May 4 GI Kentucky Oaks. Wonder Gadot came up just a head short when second in the June 9 Woodbine Oaks, but finally got her Classic win with a 4 3/4-length victory in the Queen’s Plate. Pedigree Notes: Anderson Farms’ purchased Wonder Gadot’s dam Loving Vindication (Vindication) for $180,000 at the 2011 Keenland January sale. A daughter of graded stakes winner and Grade I placed Chimichurri, the mare had been a $725,000 KEESEP yearling in 2006. Her first foal was stakes winner and graded placed Solemn Tribute. Loving Vindication’s Hard Spun filly sold for $400,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale. The mare produced a colt by Bodemeister in 2017 and a filly by Nyquist this year. Tuesday, Fort EriePRINCE OF WALES S., C$400,000, Fort Erie, 7-24, (C), 3yo, 1 3/16m, 1:58.71, sy. 1–WONDER GADOT, 121, f, 3, by Medaglia d’Oro 1st Dam: Loving Vindication, by Vindication 2nd Dam: Chimichurri, by Elusive Quality 3rd Dam: Hard Knocker, by Raja Baba ($80,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP; $325,000 2yo ’17 OBSAPR). O-Gary Barber; B-Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. (ON); T-Mark E. Casse; J-John R. Velazquez. C$240,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Filly-Can, 13-5-4-3, $1,381,261. *Full to Solemn Tribute, SW & GSP, $181,234. 2–Aheadbyacentury, 126, c, 3, Midnight Lute–Sinful, by Touch Gold. (C$67,000 Ylg ’16 CANSEP). O-Jack of Hearts Racing and J.R. Racing Stable Inc.; B-Hill ‘N’ Dale Farms (ON); T-John A. Ross. C$80,000. 3–Cooler Mike, 126, g, 3, Giant Gizmo–Executive Affair, by Bold Executive. (C$58,000 RNA Ylg ’16 CANSEP). O/B-Mike & Nick Nosowenko (ON); T-Nicholas Nosowenko. C$40,000. Margins: 5 3/4, 13 1/4, 13 1/4. Odds: 0.40, 3.75, 8.10. Also Ran: Eskiminzin, Absolution, Home Base.Click for the Equibase.com chart. View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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