Horse racing fans were back in the stands at Woodbine for the first time this season and cheered home Canada's reigning Horse of the Year Mighty Heart in the July 1 CA$150,000 Dominion Day Stakes (G3).
After wintering in Florida, Mighty Heart spent the spring training in Kentucky while Woodbine's racing season was postponed. The 4-year-old made his debut April 17 in a salty allowance optional claimer at Keeneland, setting all the pace only to tire late for third. In his next start, the Lawrence Cordes-owned son of Dramedy returned to the winner's circle with a game victory in the May 29 Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs.
"I thought it (the Blame Stakes) just put him right where I wanted him," said trainer Josie Carroll. "In fact, he had two works after that, simply because he came out of it so well, we had to sort of take the high note off of him a little bit four days ago so he could settle in this race.
"I think he's just a good horse and he's maturing. We're pretty happy with him today."
Jockey Daisuke Fukumoto, who was aboard the popular one-eyed colt when he won the first two-thirds of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown last year, was reunited with the champion for today's featured Dominion Day, contested over 1 1/16 miles on the Woodbine main track.
"I'm glad to get the opportunity to ride this horse again," said Fukumoto, who enjoyed a career highlight with Mighty Heart when they won last year's Queen's Plate. "I breezed him a couple times and today I was ready to go, and we did it today."
Sent off as the 9-5 second choice behind grade 2 winner March to the Arch on the tote board, Mighty Heart broke sharply and quickly established command out of the gate. The bay set a measured early pace of :25.23 and :48.49 in front by himself before being pressured around the turn by a looming March to the Arch. As Malibu Mambo rallied three-wide into contention past three-quarters in 1:11.99, Mighty Heart kicked away determinedly from his rivals down the length of the stretch, clearing March to the Arch by 1 3/4 lengths under the wire. Malibu Mambo was another three lengths back in third.
Mighty Heart wins the Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine
Paying $5.80 to win, Mighty Heart completed the distance in 1:43.33.
Lookin to Strike and Skywire completed the field that was scratched down to just five starters.
Mighty Heart now boasts five victories from 11 career starts for Cordes, who relished the moment to witness his homebred star in person and hear the fans trackside.
"It's quite a difference," said Cordes from the winner's circle. "The feeling was much, much better, obviously, and so many fans were behind him."
The scratches were Atone and the Carroll-trained Breeders' Stakes champion Belichick, whose connections opted for an allowance race on the July 3 card.
Mighty Heart is the only stakes winner produced from the City Place mare Emma's Bullseye. The dam of two other winners, she has a yearling filly named Emma's Last Gem, by Amis Gizmo.
