Maiden Tusayan Wins Canada's Bold Ruckus

(from track report)
Tusayan was anything but green when it came to his first taste of turf and stakes racing, winning the $139,000 Bold Ruckus Stakes for 3-year-olds in style Wednesday night at Woodbine.

Contested over a "soft" E.P. Taylor Turf Course, Tusayan, who finished second in his most recent effort May 19 at Woodbine, was full of run in the late stages of the Bold Ruckus, an impressive maiden-breaking score for the Laurie Silvera-trainee. The Bold Ruckus was restricted to progency of stallions standing in Ontario.

"Unfortunately, he didn't win last time, but it's nice winning here today, his first time on the turf," said winning rider Emile Ramsammy, who won his third stakes race of 2003. "He had a nice trip."

Penthouse Prince and Dressed For Action battled on the front-end early, leading the field through an opening quarter-mile in :23.26. Ramsammy kept Tusayan within reach of the pacesetting duo, comfortably rated in third after a half-mile clip in :47.14.

As the field charged towards the finish line, the son of Canyon Creek found his best stride, the Ontario-bred distancing himself from his rivals, winning by 2 ¾-lengths at the wire over a gutsy Dressed For Action and late-closing Battlements. The final time for the six-furlong event was 1:12.02.

"We've been angling towards this race from the very beginning of this year," said Silvera, who co-owns Tusayan, along with Srinivas Kilambi. "This horse showed extreme talent from last year. He's just one of those horses who needed a little education, and we gave it to him in his first two races."

With the victory, Tusayan became the first horse to christen Woodbine's new winner's circle, located beside the turf course on the apron.

The victory, worth $83,400, boosts the bay colt's bankroll to $95,520.

He paid $13.70, $8.20 and $4.70 across the board, combining with Dressed For Action ($7.60, $4.10) for a $129.60 exacta. Battlements ($2.70) completed a $454.20 trifecta.

(Chart, Equibase)