(from Woodbine report)
Gus Schickedanz's Marlang led from gate to wire in the $488,745 Breeders' Stakes at Woodbine Aug. 3 to capture the turf jewel of Canada's Triple Crown.
The bay son of Langfuhr completed the 1 1/2-mile distance over a "firm" E. P. Taylor Turf Course in 2:28.58, besting Sligovitz by 2 3/4 lengths. Favorite Solitaire, third in the Queen's Plate, was the show horse once again, a further half-length back.
Conditioner Debbie England, who launched her career in 1979, became the second female trainer to saddle a Breeders' Stakes winner, following in the footsteps of Catherine Day Phillips, who won consecutive Breeders' in 2004 with A Bit O'Gold and 2005 with Jambalaya.
Schickedanz celebrated his second Breeders', his first coming in 2003 with Wando, who was the last to win Canada's Triple Crown.
For jockey Richard Dos Ramos, it was also Breeders' score number two. It was 22 years ago, in 1986, when he teamed with Carotene to capture the event.
It was the second stakes score for the Ontario-bred Marlang, who won the turf Charlie Barley Stakes on June 21.
"When we finally had the shot (to try grass) in the Charlie Barley, he ran like the way we thought he would," said Dos Ramos. "He likes to feel his feet rattle underneath him. Going into the first turn, he was enjoying himself. I had a lot left at the top of the stretch."
"He was doing so well," said England, on her thought process going into the Breeders'. "He worked so well, by himself. It's the last 3-year-old stakes for Canadian-breds. So, we said, 'Go for it.'"
The colt headed into Sunday's race off a disappointing third-place finish as the favorite in the turf Toronto Cup Stakes on July 12 over a "yielding" course.
"We came back in the (Toronto Cup) and it just poured down rain and the turf was soft," said Dos Ramos.
Chantal Sutherland was aboard Sligovitz, the Stronach Stables' color-bearer who veered out at the eighth-pole while chasing the front-runner.
Robert Landry, who rode Solitaire, said, "I had a perfect trip. The fractions were slow and I was right on top of them. I didn't want to take my horse away from his running style, so I couldn't attack as early as maybe I wanted to. (Richard's) horse ran a courageous race. He took off. I just couldn't get to him."
Now a three-time winner, Marlang, who broke his maiden in his 3-year-old debut on May 7 at the Toronto oval, also has one third-place finish on his resume. He earned $292,060 for the victory.
Marlang returned $20.20, $10.10, $5, combining with Sligovitz ($5.70, $3.50) for a $150.90 exacta. Solitaire ($2.10) rounded out a trifecta of $477.80. Fourth-place finisher Cryptonite Kid completed a $1 superfecta worth $2,287.35.
Palmers was next, followed by Deputiformer, East End Tap, Mamma's Knight, Go In Peace and Pronger.
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Marlang strides to the wire to take the Breeders' Stakes, the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, on Aug. 3 at Woodbine.
