Photograph: Michael Burns Pictures
Noval Defends title with decisive win in Grade 2 on Saturday, $124,777 kennedy highway At Woodbine.
The 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash winner regarded comfy once more on the Toronto Oval.
Click on right here for Woodbine entries and outcomes.
With Western Whirl and Reloaded Rascal working one-two within the six-furlong principal monitor race for ages 3 and up, jockey Rafael Hernandez shortly moved the 4-5 favourite Novals into third place.
Western Whirl led Reload’s Rascal by a half-length, with Nobals gaining one other 1 1/2 lengths on the finish of the primary quarter in 22.26 seconds.
The battle within the first half continued even after the half ended at 44.85 seconds, with each groups battling on the turn-off.
Hernandez led Novals exterior and demanded that he run. The a number of graded stakes winner accelerated within the higher stretch and took the lead halfway by the lane. Fortunate Rating took a giant step again from the beginning, however rebounded strongly within the closing 100 yards, with Superior Bourbon and Society’s Thunder additionally performing properly.
Norvals held a half-length lead in 1:09.85. His fortunate rating positioned him in 2nd place, however he was disqualified and positioned in 4th place. Superior Bourbon moved as much as second place and Society’s Thunder moved as much as third place.
Jockey Hernandez, who rode Norvals to a distant second to Nonay Hudson within the Nearctic Stakes (G2) at Woodbine on Oct. 4, praised the bay gelding, whose lifetime earnings are approaching $2 million.
“My plan was that two horses (Western Whirl) have been clearly going to go and three horses (Rascal, a Reload offspring) have been going to have a number of pace. I used to be going to take a seat subsequent to them in case they did not go, nevertheless it was the proper setup.”
Six-year-old Norvals had one other robust efficiency at Toronto Oval.
In 2022, Noble Mission, out of the Empire Maker mare Pearly Blue, gained the Woodstock Stakes. The ultimate time of 1:07.63 will stay as an achievement. Final 12 months, he ran Kennedy Street in 1:08.59.
With the win, the Norvals, owned by Patricia’s Hope, improved to 13-6-1 and 30 factors.
“It makes my job simpler as a result of I can do no matter I wish to the horses,” Hernandez stated. “They’ve a number of class. Horses like that make your job simpler.”
Bred in Kentucky by Dr. John A. Chandler, Norval bought for $3,500 on the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Fall Yearling Sale.
He paid $3.80 to win.
