Dark Screen determined in winning the Lake Superior (Michael Burns)
Chris Lomon/Woodbine Communications
TORONTO – Dark Screen earned his first stakes success with a determined showing in the $100,000 Lake Superior, Sunday at Woodbine.
The six-furlong E.P. Taylor turf race for 3-year-old colts and geldings is part of the Ontario Sired Heritage Series.
Established in 2021, the Ontario Sired Heritage Series is comprised of three $100,000 legs and a $100,000 final for two divisions: 3-year-old colts & geldings, and 3-year-old fillies. The total purse structure for the series is $800,000.
There is a total of $70,000 in bonus money for the Heritage Series, $35,000 for each division (awarded $20,000, $10,000, $5,000) for the top three point-earning colts/geldings and fillies).
All three legs and the final are contested over different distances and surfaces: the Woodbine inner turf, the Woodbine E.P. Taylor turf, the Woodbine main track, and Fort Erie dirt track.
Go Kart Mozart got away best of all and glided to the front, followed closely by Little Red Domi to his outside and Dark Screen along the rail through an opening quarter in :23.42.
It was still Go Kart Mozart on the engine after a half in :46.85, but Juan Crawford, aboard Dark Screen, called upon the son of Big Screen out of the Elajjud mare Lady Elena in early stretch and the roan gelding began to cut into the advantage of Go Kart Mozart.
Dark Screen edged in front mid-way down the lane and dug in from there to secure a half-length win. Kekoa, skimming the rail, was second, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Go Kart Mozart. Deputy Daddy was scratched at the gate.
The final time over good going was 1:09.75.
“He loves the grass altogether from the first time I breezed him on it,” said Crawford, who has been aboard for all seven career starts. “I know today might be a little yielding on the surface, but he is so light on his feet – I know he’s not a horse to plow into the ground.”
Trained by Bev Chubb, who co-owns with Richard Okihiro and Greg Secko, Dark Screen arrived at the Lake Superior off a runner-up performance to Go Kart Mozart in the Lake Huron Stakes, a five-furlong sprint over the Woodbine inner turf, on June 22.
“He drew the one-hole three times, he’s an anxious guy, so that wasn’t so great for him,” sad Chubb. “Just a lot of little things to iron out with him, but today, we had some good racing luck for a change, and it all worked out.”
Bred by Spring Farm, Dark Screen is now 3-1-0 from seven starts.
“I think he will go a little further,” said Chubb. “He’s a fairly versatile horse, I think.”
Dark Screen paid $6.70 for the win.
