Pender Harbour Captures The Prince Of Wales Stakes

Pender Harbour (middle) won the 2011 Prince of Wales Stakes over Bowman's Causeway (outside) and Oh Canada (insider) in a thrilling finish Sunday at Fort Erie. Courtesy: Fort Erie Race Track / Michael Burns Photography

Jockey Luis Contreras kept his Triple Crown bid alive aboard Pender Harbour, who held off Bowman's Causeway and Oh Canada to win the 2011 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie on Sunday afternoon. The victory was Pender Harbour's first of the year and third of his career.

As expected, Oh Canada assumed the lead from the inside as the field headed into the first turn, with Welloiledmachine settling behind him on the outside in second. Queen's Plate runner up, Hippolytus, stalked the two lead horses in third, with Pender Harbour right behind him in fourth in an opening quarter of 24.41.

Along the backstretch, Oh Canada quickened the pace in front, with Hippolytus moving up into second inside of Welloiledmachine in third. Pender Harbour continued to sit fourth, with Bowman's Causeway fifth, Oban sixth and favourite Check Your Soul continued to trail at the back of the pack as the field hit the half-mile in 47.85.

In the final turn, Oh Canada continued to hold the lead, but Pender Harbour began to make his move along the outside. Bowman's Causeway was eager to move as well, but ran into trouble as he sat behind a wall that included Hippolytus, Welloiledmachine and Pender Harbour. As Pender Harbour continued along the outside, so did Bowman's Causeway behind him, which set up a terrific stretch run.

Oh Canada and Krista Carignan looked to steal the race from the rest of the field on the front end, but Pender Harbour was closing in on the lead and the wire with every stride. Bowman's Causeway was able to find racing room in the stretch, and closed in on the lead as well. As the trio headed into the final furlong, it looked like Oh Canada would hold on to the victory, but Pender Harbour snatched it away and got to the line just before a hard-charging Bowman's Causeway to secure his second career stakes victory. Oh Canada finished third.

"My horse had a clean trip and he gave me everything he had," said a victorious Contreras, who took the mount on Pender Harbour after Inglorious skipped the Prince of Wales. "I had a lot of horse at the top of the stretch and I felt like I could win it."

With his victory on Pender Harbour in the Prince of Wales, Contreras has now won all three of the major races for Canadian-bred three-year-olds that have taken place so far in 2011. Contreras and Inglorious won the other two major races, including the Woodbine Oaks on the June 5th and the Queen's Plate on June 26th. 

Trainer Mike DePaulo won his second career Prince of Wales Stakes with Pender Harbour, after winning the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown in 2006 with Shillelagh Slew.

"My horse showed a lot of heart," said DePaulo. "This gelding may be one of the best horses I've ever trained."

All signs now point to Pender Harbour returning to the track on August 7th at Woodbine for the third jewel of Canadian Triple Crown, the Breeders' Stakes, which is run over one-mile and one-half on turf.

"His sire is by Kris S. and that's a good sign that he will take to the grass," DePaulo added.

Favourite Check Your Soul disappointed for the second race in a row after looking so strong in the Plate Trail Stakes back on June 5th. Check Your Soul never really looked like he was ready to race today, finishing at the back of the pack, just over 14 lengths behind Pender Harbour. It was reported that Check Your Soul had a case of the thumps and muscle soreness in the Queen's Plate and it appears he may not have recovered in time to challenge today.

I expect that Check Your Soul will be given a lengthy break to recover and we may see him back in the starting gate in the fall with the Ontario Derby set for September 24th at Woodbine. This path was similar to 2010 Plate Trial and Queen's Plate winner Big Red Mike, who failed to win the Prince of Wales Stakes but returned to the track in the Ontario Derby.

The Prince of Wales win by Pender Harbour improved his career record to three wins in seven starts, with one third place finish. With the $300,000 winner's share in the Prince of Wales Stakes now added to his bankroll, Pender Harbour has earned $532,020. 

Pender Harbour paid $10.30 for the win and combined with Bowman's Causeway for a $28.70 exactor. Oh Canada completed the $186.20 triactor and the superfecta, with Hippolytus, paid $301.10.

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