Hoolie Racing Stable and Bruce Lunsford’s Admiralty Pier found his third stakes try to be the proverbial charm in Saturday’s $84,201 Display S. at Woodbine. Third in the Summer (G2) on this turf course and fourth in Keeneland’s off-the-turf Bourbon (G3), the 2-1 chance headed 12-1 shot Pipers Warrior at the wire.
Admiralty Pier had tuned up in a November 11 allowance on the Woodbine Tapeta, missing by a nose to the speedy Sable Island going seven furlongs. While the Barbara Minshall pupil was bound to prefer the 1 1/16 miles of the Display, he was expected to have serious opposition from the Grey (G3) winner, Big Brown’s half-brother Archaggelos, who went off as the 9-5 favorite. But Archaggelos didn’t fire, and Admiralty Pier did.
Cajoled into relaxing off the pace by Luis Contreras, Admiralty Pier bided his time as front-running Sable Island posted splits of :23.69 and :48.65. The 38-1 maiden Sent From Heaven boldly moved up the fence to take over through six furlongs in 1:13.65, and attempted to spring the upset in the stretch.
But Pipers Warrior accosted him first, and Admiralty Pier unleashed a good-looking rally wider out. The two fought to the line with Admiralty Pier edging the last-out maiden winner in 1:44.52. Sent From Heaven outperformed his odds in third, and Archaggelos, unable to find much when asked on the far turn, raced evenly in fourth. Sable Island tired to seventh in his two-turn debut, one spot ahead of his early pursuer, Thunder Ride.
Bred by Calumet Farm in Kentucky, Admiralty Pier sold for $100,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling. The English Channel gelding is the first foal from the winning Kitten’s Joy mare Full Steam Ahead, a full sister to Italian Group 3 scorer Steaming Kitten and multiple stakes victor Eden Grey’s Kitten. Admiralty Pier now sports a mark of 5-2-1-1, $114,756.
Contreras was going for a stakes double later on the card, guiding defending champion Freitag in the Sir Barton for Ontario-sired horses, only to come to grief in a bad spill. Conquest Calvary was in the midst of making his move when he was suddenly brought down on the far turn, and Freitag fell over him.
As the stricken were attended to, 2015 Sir Barton hero Kingsport went on to regain his crown convincingly over the 2-5 Mr Havercamp, who was subsequently disqualified for interference on that tragic far turn. Mr Havercamp appeared to shift out toward Spirit of Caledon and Conquest Calvary. Spirit of Caledon’s jockey, Alan Garcia, had to take up, and he wound up last across the line. Garcia claimed foul against Eurico Rosa Da Silva on Mr Havercamp for interference, and the stewards demoted Mr Havercamp from second to seventh.
Woodbine reported via Twitter that Conquest Cavalry suffered a fatal injury. Freitag was vanned off, and Will Wong tweeted that he was believed to be in “stable condition.”
Woodbine’s Brittney Mayotte reported that Contreras and Conquest Cavalry’s rider, Rafael Hernandez, made it back to the jockeys’ room unaided. Contreras was off his last two mounts, but Hernandez was in good enough shape to win the nightcap. According to the Woodbine recap, Contreras later got the all-clear after his check-up by emergency medical personnel.
Skip the replay if you don’t want to see the spill.
