Jockey Patrick Husbands moved Conquest Stables’ Conquest Enforcer off the rail and through a hole in the closely-bunched field of 2-year-olds, kicking clear for a 6 3/4-length victory in the $250,000 Cup and Saucer Saucer Stakes at Woodbine Oct. 11. Watch Video
Husbands and the son of Into Mischief trained by Mark Casse maintained a stalking position in fourth and then third as longshots Gigantic Breeze and Shakhimat set the moderate pace of :23.62, :47.34, and 1:12.18 through the first three-quarters of a mile in the 1 1/16-mile turf test on a course rated good. At the top of the stretch, the rest of the field began to close, but Conquest Enforcer unleashed his closing kick.
The final time was 1:43.17. Conquest Enforcer paid $8.60, $4.60, and $3.50 as the 3-1 favorite. Butterfly Dance, who briefly held the lead in mid-stretch, paid $7.40 and $5.00, with Shakhimat holding third at $5.00.
The victory was the first in two starts for Conquest Enforcer, who was fourth in his career debut in the Sept. 12 Summer Stakes (Can-IIT). He was bought by Full House Stables for $210,000 from the Warrendale Sales, agent for breeder Tall Oaks Farm, consignment to the 2014 Fasig-Tipton July yearling sale.
It was the fifth Cup and Saucer win for Husbands and the third for Casse. Together, they also teamed to win the 2012 renewal with Star Contender.
“We worked him about two months ago on the turf,” Husbands said. “I came back and said to (trainer) Mark (Casse), he’s a pretty nice horse. But he never got a chance to get back on the turf (in training). The last race, it was a soft, soft, soft turf and he was never comfortable. So, we just had to put that race behind.
“When we got the daylight today, he showed he was the best horse in the race. It’s an honor and a pleasure to sit on good horses. They always make you smile.”
Also on the card, Colebrook Farms’ homebred Seen It All Before won a stretch duel with Kingsport for a photo-finish victory in the $125,000 Bunty Lawless Stakes at one mile on grass. Watch Video
Breaking from the outside 14 post, Seen It All Before and jockey Luis Contreras were content to bide their time as longshots Sparrowhawk and San Nicola Thunder, the 2014 Bunty Lawless winner, took the field through fractions of :23.18, :46.32, and 1:10.26 into upper stretch.
Seen It All Before and Kingsport, who had started from post 12, then moved in tandem while racing in close quarters on the outside, bumping each other slightly as they rallied in the stretch. The pair went head to head before Seen It All Before hit the wire first, completing the distance in 1:36. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the stretch run but did not change the final order.
Seen It All Before paid $22.70, $9.50, and $6.00, with Kingsport worth $5.60 and $3.50. Favored Born in a Breeze was worth $2.60.
Courtesy of the Bloodhorse
