Shadowless overtook Rouse the Cat in the final furlong to produce a 16-1 surprise in the $127,120 Kennedy Road Stakes (Can-III) (VIDEO) at Woodbine Nov. 22.
The half-length triumph was the first added money victory in the 13-race career of Shadowless, a 3-year-old gelding by Stormy Atlantic who is owned by Marie Takahashi and was bred in Ontario. David Bell trains the dark bay, who now has four victories this year.
Ridden by Justin Stein for the first time, Shadowless raced mid-pick in the field of 10 before moving into contention leaving the turn in the six-furlong Polytrack event. Shadowless took the lead from Rouse the Cat, who was near the lead from the outset, in deep stretch and held well in a time of 1:09.08.
Rouse the Cat, ridden by Chris VanHassel at odds of 10-1, nosed the late-charging 2-1 favorite, Storm Treasure, with Jim McAleney aboard, for second. Field Commission was a head back in fourth.
Main Executive broke sharply and set a smart pace of :22.26 and :44.65 while getting pressure from Rouse the Cat, who took over on the inside in upper stretch to forge a clear lead. Rouse the Cat refused to give in after being passed by Shadowless and chased the winner to the wire. Storm Treasure, third in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, rallied stoutly in the late going, as did Field Commission.
For Stein, who has held a hot hand over the past few weeks, the key to victory was simply finding running room for Shadowless.
“He almost ran over the two horses in front of him,” said Stein. “I just had to wait a little longer. I pulled the trigger and away he went.”
Shadowless, who finished 11th to Not Bourbon in this year’s Queen’s Plate, improved his lifetime earnings to $287,846 with the winner's share of $77,517. Out of the Whiskey Wisdom mare Life in Fiction, Shadowless came into the Kennedy Road off a third in the Labeeb Stakes Oct. 26, a race contested on Woodbine's turf course. Prior to that, he finished second in the Mt. Sassafras Stakes on Polytrack.
Takahashi was especially pleased with the Ontario-bred’s gutsy performance.
“It’s an absolute thrill of a lifetime, a dream come true,” she said. “I’m pinching myself. It’s fantastic.”
Shadowless paid $35.60, $17.60, and $9.70, combining with Rouse the Cat ($10.50, $6.20) for a $408.80 exacta. Storm Treasure ($4.10) rounded out a $2,084.20 trifecta.
Field Commission was followed by Legal Move, Hosta Rica, Just Rushing, The Great Caruso, Storm Caller, and Main Executive.
Shadowless emerges with the lead in the Kennedy Road.
Michael Burns