Johnny Bear Repeats in Northern Dancer Turf

The honor of being the best horse owner John Brnjas ever campaigned was one Johnny Bear already locked down by virtue of his exploits on Woodbine's signature card this time last year.

Twelve months ago, the late-developing gelding pulled off a shocker in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (G1T) when he ran down multiple group 1 winner Hawkbill following that one's front-end exploits to give Brnjas his first top-level win after years of devotion to the Canadian racing and breeding program. It produced a blur of a celebration in the aftermath, one that trainer Ashlee Brnjas—John's daughter—said didn't even feel real in the moment.

Being the dutiful charge that he is, Johnny Bear allowed his connections to relive the happy drama Sept. 15 when the Sovereign Award winner again put Hawkbill and eight others in their place to take the $300,000 Northern Dancer for a second straight season by a half-length.

While Johnny Bear was an upset victor in the 1 1/2-mile race a year ago, he was at least coming into the test off form that suggested a big effort was ahead, having captured the OLG/OR Halton S. Presented by Tipperary Equestrian last August to earn his first stakes win. The 7-year-old son of English Channel  had struggled since that last September's breakout triumph, however, and brought a six-race losing skid into Saturday's edition of the Northern Dancer.

What didn't change was the fact that the chestnut was at his best once the gates flew open in the 12-furlong race. After rating sixth while Hawkbill set fractions of :24.24 and :49.26, Johnny Bear angled around a fading Seeking Albert in the turn then came back in to close along the rail down the stretch and prevailed by a half-length over Mekhtaal in 2:25.75 over the firm course.

"We were just peaking at the right time," said John Brnjas, who co-owns Johnny Bear under his Colebrook Farms along with Danny Dion's Bear Stables. "The last race (the Aug. 29 Tipperary, in which Johnny Bear was second), he just got into a bit of trouble and was the best horse in the race without a doubt. Today we felt really good. The horse was doing great, he came in in great shape and Luis (Contreras) gave him a heck of a ride."

Dismissed at odds of 9-1 last year, Johnny Bear had little respect at the betting windows in his title defense and was sent off at double-digit odds of 16-1 this time out. Though he finished 10th in the Pattison Canadian International Stakes (G1T) last October, Brnjas said he would likely send his charge back to that spot this season in hopes a catching a firm turf and bit of redemption.

"I think we'll go the same route as last year," he said. "Last year we caught rain and soft turf and if that's the way it is again  this year, we probably won't run him because he just doesn't like the soft going. But he loves this turf course."

English Illusion got up for third behind Mekhtaal with Markitoff and Patterson Cross completing the top five. Hawkbill, the 9-5 favorite, faded in the lane and ended up eighth.

Bred in Ontario by Tall Oaks Farm, Johnny Bear now boasts eight wins from 40 starts and $689,265 in earnings. He was a $278,823 purchase by Bear Stables from Richard G. Hogan's consignment to the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division) 2012 Canadian-Bred Yearling Sale.

"He's always been special, we just had to wait for him a bit," Brnjas said. "We wanted to (geld) him earlier but my partner wanted to keep the jewels as long as he could. But finally we did cut him and I think turned his life around. It looks like he's getting better as he gets older.

"We have some decent horses, but nothing like this."