Simcoe Airs Rivals in Bold Venture Win

Chiefswood Stables' Simcoe  took the lead and never looked back en route to a dominating 5 3/4-length victory in the $122,874 Bold Venture Stakes (G3) Aug. 16 at Woodbine.

Runner-up to Old Chestnut  in the Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) two starts back when losing the early lead, jockey Rafael Hernandez and Simcoe were firmly intent on maintaining their advantage in Saturday's race, forcing the issue through an opening quarter in :22.40. Once comfortably in front, Simcoe widened his margin with every pole, clipping through a half-mile in :45.01. 

Finding a fresh burst of speed at the top of the stretch, his rivals gave chase but couldn't catch Simcoe, who hit the wire in a sharp final time of 1:15.42 over the synthetic main track. 

A 5-year-old son of Uncle Mo, Simcoe returned $13.10 for a $2 win ticket in his first stakes triumph. 

Victory Achieved , making his graded stakes debut for trainer Mark Casse, was second by 1 1/4 lengths over I'm A Gambler  in third. Favored Playmea Tune  was fourth.

Trained by Katerina Vassilieva, Simcoe was bred in Ontario by Chiefswood. The gelding is one of six winners produced out of the multiple graded stakes-winning Pulpit mare Aurora Lights .