Dynamic Sky , ridden patiently by Joel Rosario, nosed out a game His Race to Win to capture the $147,903 Plate Trial (VIDEO) in a superb finish June 9 at Woodbine.
Trained by Mark Casse for owner John C. Oxley, Dynamic Sky recently returned to Woodbine after campaigning in Florida and Kentucky earlier this year. The Sky Mesa colt ran a good closing third in the seven-furlong Queenston Stakes in his return to Woodbine's Polytrack May 11.
Eighth after six furlongs, 3-1 shot Dynamic Sky closed five wide rounding the far turn and dueled head-and-head with 12-1 His Race to Win, ridden by Eurico Da Silva, inside the final furlong before prevailing on the line. Final time for the 1 1/8-mile prep for the $1 million Queen's Plate July 7 was 1:50.59. Pacesetter Midnight Aria was 1 1/4 lengths behind in third, while 5-2 favorite Pyrite Mountain checked in fourth.
Dynamic Sky raced without blinkers for the first time in six starts this year for Casse.
Holy Whirl Wind set the early pace in the Plate Trial, leading the opening quarter mile in :23.56 before dropping into second behind Midnight Aria. The latter colt led under Jesse Campbell until passed by His Race to Win in the final furlong while clipping off fractions of :48.57, 1:14.06, and 1:38.66. HIs Race to Win took a narrow lead in the long drive but could not quite repel the irrepressible Dynamic Sky in the final jump.
Bred in Ontario by Arosa Farms out of the stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Murani, Dynamic Sky was a $25,242 buy at auction in Canada.
Dynamic Sky was on the Triple Crown trail earlier this year after winning the Pasco Stakes and finishing second by a neck in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (gr. III), both at Tampa Bay Downs. In March, he battled well-regarded Verrazano in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II), finishing fourth, then posted a ninth in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) in a return to Polytrack at Keeneland April 13.
Rosario, who guided Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) champ Orb to a third-place finish in the Belmont Stakes a day earlier (gr. I), earned his first Woodbine win with the Plate Trial score.
"I thought (Dynamic Sky) had a good chance as he had been running with good horses like Verrazano... we just got up in the last jump and got the money," said Rosario. "Mark took the blinkers off today and he was more relaxed and I could do exactly what I wanted to do with him."
Sam-Son Farms' His Race to Win, who entered the Plate Trial for trainer Malcolm Pierce off a maiden allowance score, impressed Da Silva with his gutsy effort.
"My horse ran great. He's improving and he's going to get better. He ran such a great race," said Da Silva, who has the mount on likely Queen's Plate favorite Up With the Birds, a stablemate of His Race to Win.
Pacesetting Midnight Aria is also expected to continue on to the Queen's Plate.
The Plate Trial winner has produced a victory in three of the past five Queen's Plate renewals: Not Bourbon in 2008, Eye of the Leopard in 2009, and Big Red Mike in 2010. Dynamic Sky will look to become the 26th Plate Trial winner to win the Plate.
Dynamic Sky has banked $411,886 while compiling a record of 3-2-2 from 10 career starts.
Under equal weights of 126 pounds, he paid $8.60, $4.90 and $4.30 as the second choice, pairing with His Race to Win ($11.20, $8.60) for an $89.20 exacta. Midnight Aria paid $9.80 to show.
Pyrite Mountain was followed by Kid Dreams, Jagger M, Kaigun, River Seven, Holy Whirl, and Iratus Leo. Philego was scratched.
Dynamic Sky wins the Plate Trial Stakes.
Michael Burns