Treason holds sway in the Eclipse (G2) under Kazushi Kimura (Michael Burns)
By Chris Lomon – Woodbine Communications
TORONTO— Lightly-raced Treason put in a polished performance to take the $175,000 Eclipse Stakes Presented by Don Julio (G2) on Sunday afternoon at Woodbine.
Making his first start since a fourth in last November’s Autumn Stakes (G2), the 5-year-old son of Constitution looked in mid-season form after a huge off-the-shelf effort in the 1 1/16-mile race for 4-year-olds and up.
Multiple stakes winner War Bomber (IRE) and multiple graded stakes placed Wolfie’s Dynaghost tussled for early control of the Eclipse as Kazushi Kimura, aboard Treason, kept his charge unfettered just outside of the frontrunners through an opening quarter-mile reached in :24.80.
The lead pair continued their head-to-head battle into the half in :48,74, while Treason continued to watch the proceedings from in third. Kimura then roused the gelding for his best run into the turn for home and the Josie Carroll trainee responded with an explosive turn of foot to assume control.
Carrothers came calling in mid-stretch, but Treason was unrattled and went on to record a 1 ½-length win in a time of 1:43.09. Tyson, also trained by Carroll, finished third, while Artie’s Storm, last year’s Eclipse victor, rallied to finish fourth.
Kimura, off to another strong start at Woodbine, made the most of his first opportunity to partner the bay owned by LNJ Foxwoods and MSK Racing Ventures.
“He’s a natural speed horse, that’s why when I get on him in the morning, I just try and take it easy. Today, he was really comfortable beside the horse in the backstretch. Everything was going smooth. I was just trying to make sure to stay with Johnny’s [Velazquez] horse [Wolfie’s Dynaghost], but he really exploded and picked it up really quick from the three-eighths.”
For Carroll, inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2019, it was a rewarding result for a horse she had high hopes for early on in his career.
“When people ask you about what makes you successful with horses, I say patient owners, owners that give you the opportunity to let their horses develop and do what they can do. I knew that this horse had a little bit higher cruising speed than my other horse [Tyson], but they were both going to be right there. Treason is just a good horse. We thought he was a good horse from the beginning, and he really proved himself today.”
Bred in Kentucky by Ramspring Farm, it was the first stakes win for Treason ($14.60), now 3-0-0 from seven starts.
Wolfie’s Dynaghost, the 4-5 choice, was fifth, followed by Conglomerate, War Bomber (IRE), Rondure, Avoman, Bringer of Rain, and Luckman.
