Stayers' Watch: Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, Turfway Park Fall Championship Stakes · 8.09.08
Two races over the weekend had an influence on the “Unofficial Champion Stayer Award” standings. On Saturday, Delightful Kiss revealed a hitherto-unknown talent for going a distance by winning the $100,000 Turfway Park Fall Championship (Gr. III). Making his first start on a synthetic surface (Polytrack), and his first going longer than 9 furlongs, the 4-year-old gray gelding was also trying to break a 13-month, 4-race losing streak. Delightful Kiss rallied in the stretch to win by 1 1/4 lengths, completing the 1 1/2 miles in 2:32.25. Star Plus also came on in the stretch to get second, while Dominican was third.
The Turfway Park Fall Championship was a "Win and You’re In" challenge race, which means that Delightful Kiss also gained an automatic berth in the inaugural running of the Breeders’ Cup Marathon.
The next day at Woodbine in Toronto, chronic under-achiever Champs Elysees finally came through with a big win, scoring by a nose over Quijano in the $728,600 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes. Champs Elysees was unhurried in the beginning of the 1 1/2-mile race. He then made his move in the stretch, along with Quijano and several others, and at the end of the cavalry charge to the wire only one length separated the first five horses. Seaside Retreat finished third. Pre-race favourite Better Talk Now clipped heels with another horse during the race and finished a disappointing seventh. The time for the race, run over the E.P. Taylor turf course that was rated “yielding”, was 2:32.02.
Champion Stayer Award standings — update:
- Big Booster — 12
- Champs Elysees — 12
- Warning Zone — 12
- Da’ Tara — 10
- Grand Couturier — 10
- Porfido — 9
- Evening Attire — 8
- On The Acorn — 8
- Cedar Mountain — 8
- Delosvientos — 6
- Phil the Power — 6
- Delightful Kiss — 6
- Dancing Forever — 6
- Boule d’Or — 6
- Spring House — 6
The 10 points earned in the Northern Dancer vaults Champs Elysees into a three-way tie at the top of the Champion Stayers’ leader board. Versatile Big Booster, with two wins on turf and synthetic, gets the nod for the top spot (for now). Further down, Delosvientos’ and Phil the Power’s wins on good ol’ dirt place them above Delightful Kiss and three turf specialists.
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