Are You Kidding Me Proves Best in Dominion Day
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Photo: Michael Burns
Are You Kidding Me (black blinkers) wins the Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine
Ronald Kirk, John Bates, and Michael Riordan's 9-year-old veteran Are You Kidding Me split horses and bested four rivals in the CA$127,250 (US$97,193) Dominion Day Stakes (G3) June 30 at Woodbine, earning the ninth graded stakes win of his career.
Roger Attfield trains the son of Run Away and Hide who earned Canada's Horse of the Year honors in 2015-16.
"He's getting older, and he's had quite a bit of time off this winter," Attfield said, "and sometimes those older horses, when they get that much time off, they get a little bit rusty. It takes them a little bit longer. It seemed like he just lost a step or two, to be quite honest with you, but he went into this race really well."
After finishing third in the past two editions of the Dominion Day, a 1 1/4-mile feature for 3-year-olds and up on the Tapeta track, Are You Kidding Me found enough in the tank to run past his rivals Sunday. He broke from the outward post under jockey Rafael Hernandez and tracked in fourth. Final Copy took the initial lead and set early fractions of :25.45 and :50.85 through the first half-mile. Special Forces, the 6-5 favorite off three consecutive wins, settled in last.
With Final Copy turning wide on the lead, there was enough room for Aheadbyacentury to move up the rail from fourth into first and lead three-quarters of a mile in 1:14.50. Pumpkin Rumble, who sat off the pace in third, was the first to make a bid when the field turned for home. He stuck his head in front to run a mile in 1:38.55 but was soon joined by Are You Kidding Me and Special Forces.
The 4-year-old gelding Special Forces, in search of his first stakes victory, turned widest of all in the four path and was closing fast on the outside. Are You Kidding Me was moving best of all, though. With enough space between Pumpkin Rumble and Special Forces, Hernandez urged his mount forward. As hard as Special Forces tried, Are You Kidding Me was relentless and gutted out a half-length win as the 5-2 second choice.
The final time was 2:04.28 on a fast track.
"It was quite the fight, but he always doesn't give up," Hernandez said. "He always gives you the most he has in the tank, and he showed up today in the stretch and he still has more."
Special Forces, Pumpkin Rumble, Aheadbyacentury, and Final Copy completed the order of finish. Souper Tapit was scratched.
The Dominion Day marked the first win in four starts this year for Are You Kidding Me, who has a 13-9-9 record from 45 starts and earnings of US$1,317,102. The bay horse has picked up graded scores on both turf and synthetic surfaces.
"He's an old, classy dude," Hernandez said. "He knows what he's doing, he knows how to win races, and he showed up today. The other years, he's been doing the same thing."
Are You Kidding Me was bred in Kentucky by owners Bates, Kirk, and Riordan, as well as Greg McDonald and Shaw & Sones. He is the first foal out of the Street Cry mare Sweet Awakening, who gave birth to an Arrogate colt May 13.