Passion for Action Rolls to Cup & Saucer Win

Favored Passion for Action, making his stakes debut, kicked clear in the drive for an impressive 3 1/4-length win in the $223,966 Cup and Saucer Stakes  for 2-year-old Canadian-breds on the Woodbine turf Oct. 12.



Benjamin Hutzel's Ontario homebred son of Speightstown   benefited from a ground-saving trip under Luis Contreras, angling out and taking control a furlong out in the 1 1/16-mile journey. Passion for Action, the 8-5 favorite in the field of 10 juveniles, was timed in 1:42.66 for the one-turn event over firm going.



Maiden Java's Bourbon ran second and 2-1 second choice Conquest Boogaloo was third. Conquest Boogaloo, who rallied from last to get the show spot, was attempting to give trainer Mark Casse his third consecutive win in the Cup and Saucer.



Trained by Mike De Paulo, Passion for Action was stretching out from seven furlongs in his last start Aug. 23 when second by a head to Conquest Tsunami in an allowance race. De Paulo celebrated his second win in the Cup and Saucer following Deputiformer in 2007.



Passion for Action was dropped to the rail for cover up the long backstretch, racing midpack as Ensign Eli, breaking from the far outside, cleared the field and got to the inside while leading Sweet Grass Creek by about a length. Knowitall and Schomberg stalked on the outside in third and fourth, respectively, and Ensign Eli produced solid quarter mile fractions of :23.49, :47.04, and 1:11.27 and led in the stretch before weakening.



Tipped out to the three path for running room in the drive, Passion for Action responded when asked by Contreras to get the lead from Ensign Eli. He was in command in the final furlong under a hand ride as Java's Bourbon came on for second for Emma-Jayne Wilson, with Swynford Stakes winner Conquest Boogaloo and Patrick Husbands half a length farther back in third.

"We saved all the ground," said Contreras, who also won last year's Cup and Saucer aboard Matador. "(Passion for Action) broke good and I was right behind the speed, waiting for my move. I had to wait but I wasn't worried because every time I ask this horse, he gives me everything. He's kind of a small horse, but he's got a big, big heart."



Passion for Action is the first winner from two foals to race produced by the Stormy Atlantic   mare Maritime Passion. The dam won the 2009 Shady Well Stakes and was third in the Ontario Debutante before her racing career was cut short by injury after three starts.



The winning bay colt broke his maiden in his second start Aug. 3, defeating Conquest Typhoon by a neck in a six-furlong maiden grass test. Passion for Action was third in his debut over Polytrack in July. Sunday's victory boosted his career earnings from four starts to $191,372.

"They weren't that thrilled about him in South Carolina (during the winter), but he got here, went about his business, a real gentleman and has done everything we've asked him," De Paul said. "The only thing he did was stay in the gate a little first time he ran. But he's been good ever since."

Hutzel said he bred Maritime Passion to the 2004 Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner Speightstown at De Paulo's suggestion, adding: "It's been fantastic to see how Mike has brought this horse along. He didn't show it early (in his development) but boy, he's certainly come on strong."



Passion for Action paid $5.30, $3.40, and $2.50, keying an exacta worth $56.70 with Charles Fipke's homebred Java's Bourbon, who returned $11.30 and $7 in his third start. Conquest Boogaloo, making his turf debut, paid $3 to show.

Billy's Star was fourth, followed by Ensign Eli, Samuel Dechamplain, Cut to the Chase, Schomberg, Sweet Grass, and Knowitall. Minnow Money scratched.

Earlier on the Woodbine card, San Nicola Thunder captured the $111,625 Bunty Lawless Stakes on the turf for owners Paul Cooper and Joe Pirone, who bred the 4-year-old gelded son of Silent Name   in Ontario out of the Alydeed mare San Nicola Flyer.

With Justin Stein aboard for trainer John Cardella, the stalking San Nicola Thunder took command a furlong out and held on for a neck victory over Iroquois Falls in a time of 1:35.89, paying $7.40 to win. Warbred was third in the field eight, with 8-5 favorite Pender Harbour fourth.