Gretzky the Great Returns to Capture Greenwood
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Photo: Michael Burns
Gretzky the Great (inside) wins the Greenwood Stakes at Woodbine
Sovereign Award winner and grade 1 captor Gretzky the Great delivered a gutsy performance in his first race since March to win the CA$143,000 (US$114,265) Greenwood Stakes Presented by Stella Artois Aug. 14 at Woodbine.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's Gretzky the Great came ready to fight in his Woodbine return and first start since a fifth-place effort in the March 27 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park. The 3-year-old Nyquist colt, with jockey Kazushi Kimura aboard for trainer Mark Casse, fought off County Final and Artie's Storm down the long E. P. Taylor stretch to win a thrilling contest.
"Top of the stretch, I already saw two horses from the outside," Kimura said. "Actually I said, 'Oh, he's not today,' but he had extra passion. When I asked him so many times, he (kept) coming back and just keeping a head to them. He just had extra passion."
Gretzky the Great broke strongly from post 2 to run alongside rail starter Red River Rebel through the opening half-mile in splits of :22.56 and :45.02. Taking top spot swinging into the lane, Gretzky the Great was immediately confronted by Artie's Storm and County Final, setting up a grueling stretch battle. Not to be denied, Gretzky the Great dug in to cross the finish line in front by a head. County Final was second by a nose over Artie's Storm in the field of seven sophomores.
Gretzky the Great completed the seven furlongs in 1:20.70 on firm turf. He paid $4.90 to win.
Voted Canada's 2-year-old champion male of 2020, the bay colt now has a 4-1-1 record from eight starts, with his best victory coming last September on the Woodbine turf in the Summer Stakes (G1T). He has earned $356,870 and is 3-for-3 on the E. P. Taylor turf. Last summer he was second on debut on Woodbine's inner turf before breaking his maiden next out on the Toronto oval's Tapeta track.
Anderson Farms Ontario bred Gretzky the Great from the multiple stakes-placed Bernardini mare Pearl Turn , who was bred back to Nyquist for 2022. Pearl Turn is also the dam of Robitaille, an unraced 2-year-old Quality Road colt who has worked consistently at Casse Training Center since early July. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners purchased Robitaille for $560,000 from Anderson Farms at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale. Pearl Turn delivered an Uncle Mo filly in February.
Gretzky the Great was a $295,000 RNA at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale.