Sir for Sure Wins Plate Trial, Tops Casse Stablemate
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Photo: Michael Burns
Declan Carroll guides Sir for Sure to victory in the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes
Sir for Sure , a son of Sligo Bay--Serena's Rose , announced his arrival as a top Queen's Plate contender with an impressive score at odds of 21-1 July 24 in the $150,400 Plate Trial Stakes at Woodbine.
A field of nine Canadian-foaled 3-year-olds took to the all-weather oval in the Toronto suburbs in the 1 1/8-mile Plate Trial, a prep for the $1 million Queen's Plate on Aug. 21 at Woodbine.
Causin' Mayhem , making his first start outside of the U.S., went to the front as Dancin in Da'nile got away second with a headstrong 9-5 choice The Minkster in third. The pacesetter ran the opening quarter in :24.07 and was still calling the shots by a length after a half in :48.54. After three-quarters in 1:12.62, with Dancin in Da'nile now on top by a half-length over Causin' Mayhem, the Mark Casse-trained duo of Sir for Sure and Hall of Dreams powered to the front midway down the lane.
Sir for Sure crossed the line a two-length victor. Patrick Husbands, aboard Hall of Dreams, launched a claim of foul against the winner, who was ridden by Declan Carroll, but the order of finish remained unchanged. Causin' Mayhem was third and Duke of Love finished fourth.
The final time was 1:50.62.
"I knew my horse had a good kick when he won at Gulfstream (in a February maiden special weight), so I just bided my time, and then when I had to make room, I was able to push out," Carroll said. "You know, that's how racing is sometimes, it gets a little rough, but I'm happy to come away with a win. Honestly, it was a very easy ride. He traveled beautifully throughout the race."
Co-owners René and Darlene Hunderup of Heste Sport, who operate Norse Ridge Farms, were thrilled with the Plate Trial performance by their homebred.
A spot in the starting gate for the Queen's Plate, North America's oldest continuously run stakes race, could be on tap for Sir for Sure.
"Thankful to Mark for the preparation, thankful to my wife for having bred this incredible beast, and he just came through as a real classy horse," René Hunderup said. "It's wonderful to be the owner of such a classy horse."
It was the first stakes triumph for the bay gelding, who was sixth in the Queenston June 12. Sir for Sure was 0-for-2 as a 2-year-old, when he made his debut with a second-place finish in the listed Frost King Stakes at Woodbine
He returned $45.70 for the win and has a record of 2-1-0 from five starts, with career earnings of $124,198. Both wins came this year in just three starts. All but one of his starts have been at Woodbine.