Aldous Snow Holds on to Win Singspiel

Sam-Son Farm’s Aldous Snow, ridden by Javier Castellano, withstood a late charge by Perfect Timber to win the $178,200 Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes, one of three added-money events on the Queen’s Plate undercard, Sunday at Woodbine.

Sent postward the 2-1 second choice, behind the slight favorite and defending champion Forte Dei Marmi, Aldous Snow was allowed to settle in fifth in the six-horse field for much of the mile and one-half turf marathon.

Up front, Quaesitor and Dynamic Sky took the field through leisurely fractions of :26.34, :51.81 and 1:17.27, but the pace picked up after the mile was reached in 1:41.62.

When the field turned for home, Aldous Snow was on the far outside, five-wide chasing the leaders, while just inside of him, Forte Dei Marmi was also in the mix.  At the sixteenth pole, Aldous Snow had edged clear when Perfect Timber suddenly made a late run on the outside to just miss by a nose.

Dynamic Sky hung on to finish third, two and one-quarter lengths behind in his turf debut.  The final time over a firm E.P. Taylor Turf Course was 2:25.85.

Aldous Snow, a five-year-old homebred son of Theatrical-Brave Destiny, was gelded during the winter, after going winless in 2013 and posting just a 2 for 18 record in his career.  Since the ‘unkindest cut of all’, he’s two for two, having entered the Singspiel off an allowance score in his seasonal debut on June 7.

“We always want to give these guys the best chance to win, if that’s possible,” said co-owner Rick Balaz. “We felt he’d do better by being gelded and obviously he has, so it was a good decision.  I think we’ve all seen that size doesn’t really matter in race horses that much, it’s about the heart, what they’ve got inside and he’s a great little guy.”

Added trainer Malcolm Pierce, who earlier on the card saddled the 1-2 finishers, Overheard and Deceptive Vision, in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly, “He’s a lot more focused.  He used to be a bit of a playboy.  He’s much more well-behaved.”

Aldous Snow paid $6.70, $3.80 and $2.90, combining with Perfect Timber ($5.60, $3.70) for a $45.10 (6-3) exactor.   A 6-3-4 (Dynamic Sky, $3.80) triactor returned $163.