Leofric Fights Off Stablemate to Win Governor's Stakes
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Photo: Coady Photography
Leofric (gray) wins the West Virginia Governor's Cup Stakes
Leofric has been nothing if not a reliable, tenacious member of trainer Brad Cox's shedrow. When one of his stablemates put those qualities to the test in the $200,000 West Virginia Governor's Stakes (G3) Aug. 4, the son of Candy Ride responded with his best outing yet of his 11-race career.
After battling with fellow Cox-trainee Term of Art the entire way around Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort, Leofric kept his barn mate at bay when it counted most when he fought back on the inside to prevail by a neck in the 1 1/16-miles test.
Sent off as the even-money choice in field that scratched down to five horses, Leofric earned his first career graded stakes win—a deserved honor for 5-year-old who has won six of his last eight starts. The gray or roan horse finished second to fellow Governor's Stakes entrant Hawaakom in the Feb. 19 Razorback Handicap (G3), his first try against graded company, and was coming in off a three-quarter length victory in an allowance race at Prairie Meadows in which he rallied from last in the eight-horse field.
Saturday saw Leofric put himself in control of his destiny from the start. With Florent Geroux in the saddle, the race favorite broke well out of the inside post as did Term of Art to the outside with the latter staying just off his stablemate through fractions of :24.25 and :48.14.
Term of Art advanced around the final turn and took a brief advantage coming into the top of the lane but Geroux kept his mount to task on the inside, battling back to put a head in front at the eighth pole before hitting the wire in 1:42.72 over a track rated fast.
Matrooh was a length back of Term of Art in third. Imperative, who got a perfect stalking trip in third, never quickened in the lane and finished fourth with Hawaakom fifth.
Owned by Steve Landers Racing, Leofric improved his record to six wins from 11 career starts with earnings of $457,940. He was bred in Kentucky by Peter Blum Thoroughbreds out of the Unbridled's Song mare Lady Godiva and was purchased by BSW Bloodstock/Liz Crow, agent for $100,000 out of the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.