The versatile Pender Harbour will look to add the Nijinsky Stakes to his record at Woodbine
Mike DePaulo’s charge, Pender Harbour, is all set to take on the 1 1/8 mile distance in the Grade 2, $300,000 Nijinsky Stakes at Woodbine on 22nd July, 2012.
The older division runner will be under pressure, because of the immense amount of expectations attached to him, but he has delivered consistently at Woodbine.
The trainer’s morale has high and he is optimistic about the runner’s performance.
To the press, he stated:
"He's doing super."
DePaulo further stated:
"We're looking forward to running him. There's a horse that's dead fit and now he's caught up to his peers, as far as fitness goes, and we're looking for a big race."
Owned by Denny Andrews and Robert Giffin, the four-year-old triumphed in the Steady Growth Stakes on 17th June, 2012, where he completed the 1 1/16 mile distance in 1 minute and 44.62 seconds, under jockey, Luis Contreras.
Following that race, the runner competed in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes at the same track but, finished second to Hunters Bay, who completed the 1 1/4 miles distance in 2 minutes and 04.11 seconds.
The familiarity of with the track will play to his advantage, and will help him a great deal.
The colt landed the Prince Of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie in July, 2011, and the Breeders' Stakes, which is the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.
The son of Philanthropist, out of Hail The Ruckus mare Uproar, has done well in his career with six victories in 14 starts with career earnings of $1,092,887.
Regarding the surface of the track and the distance, the trainer reflected on past performances and told the press that he can handle the turf in this race as he has done so before:
"Both times he went on grass, it was soft. He's never run on a firm course. He's one of the few horses that's won on the Poly, dirt, and grass, but I think a mile and an eighth, one-turn, is well within his reach."
With Luis Contreras, he will ride with 119 pounds. The highest weight has been assigned to the David Cotey trained, Riding the River, who will race with 123 pounds.
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