Signature Red wins the 2011 Highlander Stakes
June 26, 2011
The large crowd at Woodbine on Sunday for the Queen's Plate enjoyed a 12-race card conducted under partly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 70's. There were two other stakes races on the undercard, both run over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course which is outside of the main Polytrack oval. After the very wet weather all last week, the sun and breeze dried the course to "firm".
Kicking off the stakes action on Plate day was the $200,000 Highlander Stakes (G2), a 6 furlong sprint on the turf for older horses.
Fiddlers Patriot was sent off as the 3-1 favorite in the field of 10 off allowance wins at Belmont and Monmouth, over 9-2 second choice Nordic Truce, an allowance winner at Gulfstream last out, and 5-1 third choice Stormy Lord, winner of the Connaught Cup (G3).
Essence Hit Man gunned to the lead down the backstretch and around the turn through fractions of 22.14 and 44.89 while as many as 1 1/2 lengths in front of Signature Red stalking him second. In mid-stretch, Signature Red moved up to take the lead through 5/8 in 56.52, and was all out to hold off favorite Fiddlers Patriot late to win by a nose in 1:09.00. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to 16-1 Heros Reward third.
Jockey Sheldon Russell and trainer Dale Capuano of Heros Reward claimed foul against the winner but this was disallowed by the stewards.
Results chart from DRF
Queen's Plate results and photos.
The large crowd at Woodbine on Sunday for the Queen's Plate enjoyed a 12-race card conducted under partly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 70's. There were two other stakes races on the undercard, both run over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course which is outside of the main Polytrack oval. After the very wet weather all last week, the sun and breeze dried the course to "firm".
Kicking off the stakes action on Plate day was the $200,000 Highlander Stakes (G2), a 6 furlong sprint on the turf for older horses.
Fiddlers Patriot was sent off as the 3-1 favorite in the field of 10 off allowance wins at Belmont and Monmouth, over 9-2 second choice Nordic Truce, an allowance winner at Gulfstream last out, and 5-1 third choice Stormy Lord, winner of the Connaught Cup (G3).
Essence Hit Man gunned to the lead down the backstretch and around the turn through fractions of 22.14 and 44.89 while as many as 1 1/2 lengths in front of Signature Red stalking him second. In mid-stretch, Signature Red moved up to take the lead through 5/8 in 56.52, and was all out to hold off favorite Fiddlers Patriot late to win by a nose in 1:09.00. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to 16-1 Heros Reward third.
Jockey Sheldon Russell and trainer Dale Capuano of Heros Reward claimed foul against the winner but this was disallowed by the stewards.
Results chart from DRF
Queen's Plate results and photos.
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