Willing Wando Claims Canadian Triple Crown

Ontario-bred Wando became the first horse in 10 years to sweep Canada's Triple Crown Saturday, overcoming trouble to register a 1 1/2-length victory in the $500,000 Breeders' Stakes for 3-year-olds on the turf at Woodbine.

Owned and bred by Gustav Schickedanz, Wando became the seventh to sweep the series – the Queen's Plate, the Prince of Wales and the Breeders' Stakes – since it was started in 1959. The last was Peteski in 1993. The others were Dance Smartly (1991), Izvestia (1990), With Approval (1989), Canebora (1963) and New Providence (1959).

Ridden by Patrick Husbands, Wando, the 1-2 choice in a field of eight, raced four wide into the first turn while stalking pacesetter Parasail, who clicked off fractions of :23 4/5, :48 4/5 and 1:13 2/5. After continuing wide on the backstretch until sliding inside on the final turn, Wando was boxed in on the rail and took back briefly heading into the stretch.

Husbands pulled Wando to the outside for the stretch run and the chestnut son of Langfuhr responded gamely to pass fading Parasail and Shoal Water, ridden by Todd Kabel, in the stretch. Colorful Judgement finished third, 3 1/4 lengths behind the runner-up. Strizzi, the 5-1 second choice, was fourth. The final time for the 1 1/2-mile test was 2:28 3/5 on firm going.

"He really got ganged up on, but that's horse racing, and I'd probably do the same thing," trainer Mike Keogh said. "Once I saw (Husbands) switch outside, I knew he had a lot of horse. My foot is tired from stomping up and down."

Wando has won five straight stakes overall. He took Woodbine's Queen's Plate on June 22 by nine lengths and the July 20 Prince of Wales at Fort Erie by four.

Twelfth behind Vindication in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Arlington Park, he has won eight times in 11 career starts with earnings of $1,774,402.

Wando is out of the Woodman mare Kathie's Colleen, a grade II winner who is a half sister to grade I-winning Beau Genius.

Wando paid $3, $2.50 and $2.10. Shoal Water returned $5.40 and $3.60. Colorful Judgement's show price was $5.70.

(Chart, Equibase)