Favored Hollinger, roused in upper stretch by jockey Tyler Pizarro, charged impressively to win the $242,341 Cup and Saucer Stakes (VIDEO) for 2-year-olds on the Woodbine turf Oct. 18.
The unbeaten son of Black Minnaloushe captured the 1 1/16-mile one-turn test for Canadian breds by two lengths in a time of 1:42.53 over firm going. Trained by Roger Attfield, the Robert Harvey and Al Wortzman-owned homebred won his stakes and grass debut in the Cup and Saucer and is now three-for-three in his career.
"I was very impressed with his race today," said Attfield, who has engineered 10 Woodbine stakes win with 10 different horses this year. "We were anticipating him staying with his pedigree. He trained very well into this race. He'd only had one work over the turf. So, you don't really know. He just keeps getting better and better. I thought he ran very professionally."
Breaking from the far outside post, Hollinger trailed the field early before moving up on the turn while three wide. Angled out by Pizarro in upper stretch, Hollinger rattled down the center of the track under encouragement to take control in the final furlong. He drew away and won while geared down.
Pacesetter Stormy Lord, who maintained a comfortable advantage for jockey James McAleney through quarter-mile fractions of :23.86, :47.18, and 1:11.78, was second best by 1 1/2 lengths over the stalker Mobil Unit, ridden by Jono Jones.
Out of the Dynaformer mare Dynamite Cocktail, Hollinger began his career going six furlongs on Woodbine's Polytrack Aug. 28, producing a 1 1/4-length victory. The gray/roan gelding returned to Polytrack Oct. 2 with a 2 1/4-length triumph over first-level allowance foes as the even-money choice at one mile and seventy yards. The Cup and Saucer victory was worth $144,480 to Hollinger.
Pizarro has ridden Hollinger in all three of his starts.
Sent off as the 17-10 pick in the field of nine, Hollinger paid $5.40, $3.20, and $2.60 and teamed with third choice Stormy Lord ($4.70, $3) for a $28.70 exacta. Mobil Unit was $3.50 to show.
Completing the order of finish were General Staff, Giant's Tomb, Powermouse, Kudostoyou, Empire Rising, and Forever Awesome.