(Edited press release)
Field Commission , a four-time winner in 2008, made his second start of the season a winning one in the $150,000 Vigil Stakes (Can-III) at Woodbine May 18.
Despite a third-place finish, just a half-length back of Disfunction in the Jacques Cartier Stakes on April 25 at Woodbine, Field Commission was a 22-1 longshot in the 54th running of the Vigil.
But under a sly ride from Tyler Pizarro, the 4-year-old son of Service Stripe rocked his rivals for his first score since an allowance triumph last October at the Toronto oval.
Sitting ninth in the 11-horse field after an opening quarter-mile in :23.43 and seventh after a half in :46.06, Pizarro waited patiently before finding a seam along the rail mid-stretch to take the lead.
At the wire, Field Commission, trained and co-owned by Dan Vella, was a 1 1/2-length winner, with 56-1 outsider Dozen Dancer in second and 7-1 Timely Advice in third. Mutuel favourite Rebellion was fifth.
The final time for seven furlongs was 1:22.74 over the Polytrack.
“Dan always says take the race from the gate,” said Pizarro, who notched his first Vigil win. “Last race, he was a little sharp the first time out. This time, he got that perfect trip and he was ready when I asked him.”
Vella had high praise for both horse and rider.
“He’s a big, rugged horse,” said Vella, of the chestnut colt. “We felt like he could bounce back pretty quick. He told us all the right things. We knew we were doing really well coming in here. It’s a team effort to get a wonderful animal like this to the races. I saw Tyler thinking about which way to go. It worked perfectly. It was a great ride.”
The Ontario-bred now has eight top-three finishes in his past nine races. Field Commission has shown highly consistent form over his 13-race career. He now has five wins, two seconds and four thirds.
Field Commission paid $46.90, $19 and $9.20 across the board, combining with Dozen Dancer ($43, $10.70) for a $1,301.40 exactor. Timely Advice ($7.10) completed a $8,047.20 trifecta.
