Through the Lens: Wonder Gadot 'alive and kicking' at Fort Erie
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Fort Erie Race Track, just across the border from Buffalo, N.Y., or “down the road” from Woodbine, has the tag line: “Alive and Kicking.” It proved that again Tuesday with its signature event, the Prince Of Wales Stakes.
The weather made it tough for spectators and horses alike: heat with high
humidity was followed by torrential rains that turned the track into slop just
before the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. But, considering these challenges,
the races went off without a hitch.
Six
of the finest Canadian-bred 3-year-old thoroughbreds were running 1 3/16
miles on the dirt track. Because none of them are based at Fort Erie, they had to
be shipped in for the day.
The
first arrival was Home Base, shipped in from Kentucky earlier last week. He has
been getting familiar with Fort Erie’s dirt track and I was able to watch him
Monday morning for a casual gallop under exercise rider Nadia Dohnalova before
he checked out the gates.
After that gallop, Dennis Fries, assistant trainer to Michael Tomlinson, showered him,
during which Home Base engaged in friendly play with his groom.
On race day, wonder woman Wonder Gadot was the first to arrive.
After her Queen’s
Plate win over the boys, this filly was the morning line
favorite for the 83rd running
of the Prince of Wales Stakes. She settled in her barn well and enjoyed the
new surroundings.
Both Aheadbyacentury and Cooler Mike were housed in the barns of
trainer Gary Chodobiak. After finishing second in the Queens Plate,
Aheadbyacentury was looking for a second chance to beat the filly, with jockey
Luis Contreras who had won the two previous Prince of Wales Stakes.
Cooler Mike, trained by Nicholas Nosowenko, had 4-1 morning odds
under jockey Jesse Campbell.
As I roamed the barn area to check up on the Prince of Wales
contenders, I could also follow up with the jockeys and exercise riders during their
morning workouts. One of the noticeable characteristics of this smaller race
track is the much higher percentage of female jockeys than at larger venues. Helen
Vanek, a former Canadian Sovereign Award winner, is one of those outstanding
female jockeys who is always special to watch as she works her horses and
connects with them every morning.
As of Tuesday evening, Helen Vanek is placed second on the jockey standings for Fort Erie’s summer meet with her 17 wins from 76 starts. She is
behind another female jockey, Krista Carignan, who has accomplished 21 wins out
of 92 starts. She is seen here heading into the paddock for Tuesday’s third
race, at the wire in her win of that race with Street Tail, and returning to
the winner’s circle.
Both Vanek and Carignan ended up winning two races each that day to continue
their consistent success this summer.
As post time for the Prince of Wales Stakes approached,
torrential rains turned the course into deep slop with a skating-rink-like
smooth surface. Cooler Mike and Wonder Gadot are heading towards the paddock walking
alongside the sloppy track.
The call to post was sounded in front of the sloppy track with the
dark sky looming above.
During the post parade, jockey Johnny Velazquez was a bit more relaxed about
the track surface than Rafael Hernandez on Cooler Mike.
Wonder Gadot took the initiative from the very beginning of the race,
leading Cooler Mike, Home Base, Absolution, and Aheadbyacentury toward the
grandstand for the first time.
By the time the race headed into the first turn, Wonder Gadot had
taken command of the race, with impressive kickback boiling up from the slop
behind the horses.
By the second time Wonder Gadot crossed the grandstand, she carried a
commanding lead of 5 3/4 lengths at the finish line.
Striding out after the wire, she almost left a wake in the bubbling
slop behind her.
As the riders returned to the finish area, their faces were
testament to the challenges and the outcome of the race: Contreras placing
second on Aheadbyacentury, Sheena Ryan placing fourth on Eskiminzin, and Rafael
Hernandez placing fifth on Absolution.
Contrast this with the face of the winner – with the only visible splashes
those of the flower petals from the garlands on his neck. He ended up using
only a single of his array of goggles, and even that one stayed clean. This is
the image of a wire-to-wire victory in the slop of Fort Erie.
The assembled winning connection of Wonder Gadot:
Jockey Johnny Velazquez posing with the obligatory kiss of the Prince
of Wales trophy …
...before heading across the track while keeping his silks clean. Just
this time not powered by the wonder of Gadot, but with the help of some good old
plywood planks. He is welcomed by track workers with congratulatory smiles. Many
of their colleagues at the race track staff made this a memorable day, against
all odds.
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