Royal Challenger Wins The Breeders’ Stakes
Posted August 6, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
As far as Royal Challenger was concerned, there simply weren’t any challengers.
That must have been it, because the horse held off six others down the stretch at Woodbine Racetrack Sunday, capturing the Breeders’ Stakes and thus, the third jewel in Canada’s triple crown of thoroughbred racing.
The horse belongs to Frank Stronach, who came up short at the Prince of Wales Stakes when his horse Malakhoff was disqualified, but made up for it Sunday when Royal Challenger captured the $500,000 prize.
Ridden by Patrick Husbands, Challenger went off at 7-2 and returned $9.80. $4.40 and $3.50.
“He’s kind of one of those hardy horses that would run on broken glass if you’d put him on it,” said trainer Brian Lynch.
Pre-race favourite French Beret came in second and paid $3 and $2.50, while Shillelagh Slew finished third at $3.30.
It was Shillelagh Slew that was bumped to first in the Wales after the Malakhoff’s disqualification, and Slew was also one of the favourites Sunday.
And they all made their run, as Challenger needed to fight off a number of contenders in the final stretch, and ended up winning by less than a head despite pulling away slightly right at the end.
“I was thrilled to see a path open up for him when he needed it,” said Lynch.
