Stanley House becomes a stakes winner in the Niagara (Michael Burns)
Chris Lomon/Woodbine Communications
TORONTO – Hard-trying Stanley House earned his first stakes success in style after taking Saturday’s $100,000 Niagara Stakes at Woodbine.
Breaking sharply under Leo Salles, the multiple graded stakes placed 5-year-old took the lead steps after the start of the 1 ¼-mile test for 3-year-olds and up over a firm E.P. Taylor turf.
Ahead of his closest foe by 1 ¼ lengths after an opening quarter in :25.18, Stanley House, the 9-5 mutuel choice, stretched his advantage to 2 ½ lengths through a half in :49.04.
A confident Salles kept Stanley House to task heading into the final turn and the duo began to stride away from their rivals in early stretch. Midway down the lane, all that was left to decide was the margin of victory and who would fill out the second, third and fourth spots.
Those answers came in the form of a four-length triumph and Dancin in Da’nile, Roscar, and Legal Catch, respectively.
The final time was a lively 1:59.38. Inflexibility holds the track record of 1:58.88, which was set on July 30, 2017.
“He is a very talented horse,” praised Salles. “Mike gave me the opportunity to get to know him well. The stretch out in distance helped him. Everything worked out good – we put it all together.”
Mike De Paulo, who trains for owners John and Diana Russell, also lauded the effort of the dark bay but thought turning for home that Stanley House might be collared.
“I thought he’d like grass,” said De Paulo. “His pedigree says dirt. I was calling Leo a lot of names, let me tell you, but he got it done and we’ll take it. They ran very fast, just a few ticks off the track record. He has always been a good horse – just happy he showed up.”
It was the fourth win, to go along with seven seconds and three thirds from 22 career starts for Stanley House.
Bred in Ontario by Elevage II, LLC & St. Elias Stables, LLC, the son of Army Mule out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Stormy’s Song broke his maiden in his fourth start, a 1 1/16-mile race over the Gulfstream all-weather track on March 25, 2023.
The $120,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale returned $5.90 for the Niagara win.
