(from Woodbine report)
Rider Todd Kabel admits Mobil has mellowed a bit over the past few months, but on Monday at Woodbine, the bay colt proved he's still as tough as nails when it comes to taking a bite out of the competition.The feisty son of Langfuhr was back on familiar turf at Woodbine, staking claim to top prize in the $131,875 Halton Stakes, an easy 3 ½-length score in the 1 1/8-mile event over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course on Yearling Sales Stakes Day.An orange pylon outside Mobil's stall in the Woodbine backstretch gives ample warning to be on your toes when you cross his path. But on this day, Mobil had things all his own way.While seizing the lead from the outset wasn't the original game plan, Kabel did just that with the Ontario-bred, guiding Mobil through an opening quarter-mile in :24.82, cutting a half-mile clip in :48.02.When the field rounded the turn for the long stretch drive to the wire, the veteran rider finally asked his charge for his best run. Mobil drew off on his five rivals (Algorhythm was scratched). The final time was clocked in 1:48.21, over a firm turf."I was just hoping there would be some pace to run at, but there wasn't so we just did our own thing out front," said Kabel, who won four of six stakes races in last year's Yearling Sales Stakes day. "When I asked him to run, he kept on going with me and excelled through the lane. He was all business."Trainer Mike Keogh, who saddled Mobil's stablemate Wando to recent Canadian Triple Crown glory, was equally complimentary of the lifetime winner of seven races in 12 starts."He's a lovely horse and he showed it again today," said Keogh of the Gus Schickedanz-owned star."He stumbled at the start and lost quite a few lengths last time (West Virginia Derby, on Aug. 9). For some reason, he wasn't up where we wanted him to be."Mobil picked up $79,125 for his win, pushing his career earnings total to $903,751.He paid $2.50, $2.20 and $2.10 across the board, combining with a game Lenny the Lender ($6.40, $3.10) for a $15.50 exacta. Steady Ruckus ($2.90) completed a $55.40 trifecta.(Chart, Equibase)