Lac Macaza takes the Niagara (Michael Burns)
Chris Lomon/Woodbine Communications
TORONTO— Lac Macaza, at 9-2, seized the lead into the turn for home and stayed strong down the lane to take Saturday’s $100,000 Niagara Stakes Presented by The Greenwood Stakes.
Jockey Pietro Moran and Lac Macaza, a 5-year-old son of Giant Gizmo-Garavogue Colleen, played the waiting game as a pair of rivals slugged it out early, before making their winning move in the 1 ¼-mile test over Woodbine’s E.P. Taylor turf.
Breaking sharply and settling into third spot, Lac Macaza and Moran watched as the duo of mutuel choice Stone Age (IRE) and Eyes On the King slugged it out on the front end, with the former holding a two-length advantage after an opening quarter in :24.62 over good ground.
The pacesetters continued to go toe-to-toe through a half in :47.51, with Eyes On the King a head on top, and an unfettered Lac Macaza watching the proceedings nine lengths further back in third.
Moran and Lac Macaza then pounced on the dueling duo and blew past their rivals to take command coming out of the final turn.
Stanley House loomed a major threat down the lane as did Palazzi, who was putting in a big outside run, but neither could reel in the freewheeling Lac Macaza, who crossed the wire a 1 ¾-length winner to earn his first stakes success. Stanley House survived a stewards’ inquiry and a claim of foul to finish second. Palazzi was third and Spinzar fourth. Jim’s Hope, English Conqueror, Paramount Prince, and Twowaycrossing were scratched.
The final time was 2:01.10.
“Obviously, a few speed horses scratched, but there was still a bit of pace in the race,” said Moran. “This horse always gives it 100 per cent every time, and I was confident coming in.”
“I didn’t really ask him to go – he kind of just went himself,” he continued. “They kind of came back to me quicker than I expected, but he just cruised up to them like nothing. And as soon as I asked him down the lane, he picked it up right away. So, I knew I had a good shot of him just driving home, and he did.”
Trainer Julia Carey was thrilled with the effort.
“This means the world,” said Carey, of the gelding owned by Goldie Stables and Discovery Racing. “He’s such a nice animal. Last year, we had a little bit of ups and downs with him, even ran him for 25 once. But he’s just getting better as he’s getting older.
“He wintered really well – he always winters in Florida – and he’s, just like I said, another horse that just gets better with age.”
It was the seventh win, to go along with four seconds and two thirds from 24 career starts for Lac Macaza, who arrived at the Niagara off a second in an August 11 race run over the same surface and at the same distance.
The bay, bred in Ontario by Frank Mermenstein and Elliot Kohn, was second in his debut on October 7, 2021, before reeling off three straight scores, including his 3-year-old debut in June 2022.
Lac Macaza paid $11.90.
Live Thoroughbred racing continues Sunday at Woodbine with a 1:05 p.m. post time.
