Paramount Prince Cruises to Easy Win in 4YO Debut

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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Paramount Prince wins an allowance optional claiming at Gulfstream Park

A Canadian star at age 3, Paramount Prince  successfully made his 4-year-old debut during a $91,000 allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park March 10.

The 'Prince' became a king over the synthetic at Woodbine Aug. 20 with a dominant gate-to-wire victory in the King's Plate Stakes, the first jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown.

Making his dirt debut over a sloppy track for a shot at history, the gelded son of Society's Chairman  battled hard on the lead but couldn't withstand the rally of Velocitor  and finished third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths, in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie last Sept. 12. Three weeks later, the tolls of the Triple Crown trail caught up to the speedster as he dropped out early in the 1 1/2-mile Breeders' Stakes and faded to finish 13th of 14.

Returning from his five-month layoff and back on a synthetic surface for the first time since the King's Plate, Paramount Prince shot to the front from his rail post and cruised. Through fractions of :24.09, 47.48, and 1:11.53, Paramount Prince never looked to expend much effort.

Under mild urging from jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Paramount Prince handled business in the stretch on his way to a two-length victory in 1:48.55 for the 1 1/8-mile distance.

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Owned by Michael Langlois and Gary Barber, Paramount Prince improved his record to 4-2-2 from nine starts with earnings of $653,905.

Video: Gulfstream Park, Race 9, AOC