Printer Friendly Page 

Caspar Netscher rallies for Nearctic win; 'Bombshell struts her stuff in Ontario Fashion

Casper Netscher (yellow cap) returned to his winning ways in the Nearctic (WEG/Michael Burns Photography) Charles Wentworth's Caspar Netscher visited the winner's circle for the first time since returning from a subfertile stint at stud when taking the Grade 2, $279,428 Nearctic at Woodbine on Sunday. The six-furlong turf sprint was part of a four-stakes card at the Toronto track, highlighted by the Canadian International and E.P. Taylor. "My hands were absolutely dripping sweat and I actually felt physically sick before the race I was so nervous. It was a long way to come and it's a relief to have him back," Wentworth said. "I sold him to stud at the end of his three-year-old season (2012) and he covered 54 mares and only got three in foal. So the insurers paid out the infertility insurance and I bought him back in a sale bid, which was a gamble but it's paid off. "That (the race) was (amazing). That was reminiscent of how he was at his best as a two-year-old. It's great to have him back. It really is." Jockey Andrew Mullen took the reins on Caspar Netscher for the first time in the Nearctic and settled his five-year-old mount in the second flight as Dreamsgonewild forced Black Hornet into setting pressured fractions of :22 and :44 2/5 on the backstretch. Dreamsgonewild couldn't maintain his momentum and was swamped by the field in the lane as Black Hornet dug deep to retain the lead.

Caspar Netscher, meanwhile, was coming strong down the center of the course. The David Simcock-trained English shipper caught Black Hornet in the final jumps with fellow closers Calgary Cat and Excaper not far behind.

"He was on his toes good at the start, but Mr. Simcock has done a brilliant job with him, primed him perfect and he's come here the best he's felt," Mullen said. "I rode him in a work about three weeks ago and I knew he would need the run at Ascot (a Group 3 on October 4) so coming here he was 100 percent.

"I jumped well and they were going hard in front so I just slotted him in. I gave myself an option to go in or out and when I switched him in, I got a nice run and he picked up well all the way to the line."

Sent off the 9-2 third choice, Caspar Netscher paid $11.60 for finishing six furlongs on the good turf in 1:08 4/5. Black Hornet was three parts of a length back while holding Calgary Cat to third by a neck. Excaper followed in fourth by another length, while completing the order under the wire were Paso Doble, Lockout, Big Blue Spirit, Dreamsgonewild, Langstaff and Upgraded.

Caspar Netscher was successful in a trio of Group 2 contests as well as a Group 3 event overseas, including the German Two Thousand Guineas, prior to his retirement. He ran fourth in what was supposed to be his finale, a French Group 1, and showed promise when returning to competition on July 30 last year with a neck second in the Hungerford Stakes at Goodwood. He proceeded to finish fourth in a pair of Group 2s, second in a listed contest and 10th in Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October.

The Queen Elizabeth II capped off the 2014 season for the son of Dutch Art, but he was unable to duplicate any sort of success in four 2014 starts heading into the Nearctic. Getting back on track, the David Simcock-trained five-year-old improved his career record to 26-6-4-2, $706,762 with Sunday's victory.

Bred in Great Britain by Meon Valley Stud, Caspar Netscher sold twice at public auction, bringing $41,916 as a Tattersalls October yearling and $110,933 as a Tattersalls April two-year-old.

The bay is out of the unraced Stravinsky mare Bella Cantata, who is a half-sister to highweights Stagecraft and Balalaika, and counts as his dual Group 3 heroine Reprocolor. That mare is the dam of multiple highweight Cezanne and Irish Oaks queen Colorspin, as well as the grandam of multiple Group 1 winner and sire Opera House and his full brother, two-time St Leger conqueror Kayf Tara.

One race later in the Grade 3, $139,006 Ontario Fashion, Native Bombshell came with a powerful late run to post a neck decision in her graded, and seasonal, debut for trainer Chad Brown. Campaigned by Michael Dubb et al, the War Front filly ran six furlongs on the Polytrack in 1:09 2/5 under jockey Patrick Husbands.

Native Bombshell bided her time in midpack as Cryptic Message led the way through splits of :22, 44 2/5 and :56 2/5. Husbands gave the four-year-old her cue and she took off, closing along the rail before angling out leaving the turn. Disco Barbie was also closing strongly and just missed the win as Native Bombshell hit the wire first.

Native Bombshell was the 3-1 second favorite to near 9-5 public choice Disco Barbie and returned $8.50 for the win. Cryptic Message followed in third by 1 1/4 lengths while Cat Lore, Goldstryke Glory, Strike the Moon, Casablanca Kiss, Youcan'tcatchme, Thats Our Princess and Silent Treat completed the order of finish.

Native Bombshell began her career under Tony Dutrow's tutelage at Gulfstream Park at the start of 2013, finishing third in her debut before breaking her maiden next out by 3 1/4 lengths. Both of those starts came on sloppy, sealed surfaces in off-the-turf events.

The dark bay filly was switched to Brown and showed up at Aqueduct in April, taking a turf optional claimer, prior to sitting out the rest of the summer. She returned for a well-beaten ninth in the grassy Riskaverse at Saratoga and closed out her sophomore season with a nose victory in the Ruling Angel while trying Woodbine's synthetic Polytrack.

Native Bombshell got a late start to her four-year-old campaign in the Ontario Fashion but boosted her resume to 6-4-0-1, $207,293. Bred in Kentucky by B.D. Gibbs Farm LLC and Fleetwood Bloodstock LLC, she initially sold for $20,000 as a Keeneland November weanling before bringing $150,000 as a Keeneland September yearling.

The dark bay miss is the first registered stakes winner out of the Pulpit mare Flat Screen, and comes from the same female family as 1986 Broodmare of the Year Too Bald and top sires Capote and Broad Brush.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com

More Racing Headlines:

Miss Temple City earns hard-fought victory in Matriarch

Annals of Time captures first stakes win in Hollywood Derby

Penn Derby upgraded to Grade 1 for 2017

Miss Temple City headlines Del Mar's closing-day Matriarch

Trio of graded stakes on tap Saturday

Send this article to a friend