Maritimer made a strong case for a Sovereign Award after winning the Display Stakes
Coming off a fourth place finish in the Grade 3 Summer Stakes at Woodbine, 2-year-old Maritimer switched to synthetic surface from turf and got stretched out in distance to capture the Coronation Futurity Stakes over at 1 1/8 miles on 6 November, 2011.
With Sovereign Award on the line, Sid Attard trained Maritimer entered the $167,307 Display Stakes at Woodbine on 27 November, 2011, and made a strong case for the Sovereign Award as Canada’s champion 2-year-old male when he romped past his opponents to win the Display Stakes.
Leading Woodbine rider Luis Contreras was aboard Maritimer, and the pair raced an inch perfect race going in the lead after four-wide and from then on coasted home, winning by a massive margin of five and a half lengths over a distance of 1 1/16 miles with the winning time of 1 minute and 43.58 seconds staying on poly track.
It was an impressive performance by Maritimer coming off a win and then making sure he gets this one as well on the top of the lane. The victory impressed owner/breeder Howard Walton as well and he believes that Maritimer has single handedly put himself in front in the race for the Sovereign Award.
"This is a special horse," Walton said. "I don't think there are any limitations as far as distance. I think he has erased that. I think we deserve to be 2-year-old of the year, and I also believe we should be the early favorite for the Queen's Plate."
Trainer Sid Attard was pleased with the performance and that is what he had to say,
"This horse is getting better race after race," Attard said. "When (Contreras) asked him today from the three-eighths pole, he really went on; I was really excited."
The Canadian bred son of Stormy Atlantic, out of mare Highland Mood by Highland Ruckus, Maritimer misfired in the Grade 3 Summer Stakes, but prior to it, he turned in two back to back second place finishes. In the Vandal Stakes to winner Buongiorno Johnny and then in an allowance race to winner Hard Not To Like.
Tags: