Up With the Birds collects second Nijinsky victory at Woodbine

Sam-Son Farm homebred Up With the Birds, Canada's 2013 Horse of the Year, rallied last to first to capture Sunday's Grade 2 $227,600 Nijinsky Stakes, at Woodbine.

The six-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic was making his first start back for trainer Malcolm Pierce after a year spent in the care of trainer Graham Motion. 

Sent to post as the 3-2 mutuel favourite in a compact field of five, Up With the Birds, reunited with rider Eurico Rosa da Silva, could see them all down the back straight but when the field straightened for the stretch run the popular bay rallied wide for a 1 1/4-length win.

Button Down, full of run but in need of racing room behind pacesetter Dynamic Sky, surged late to earn second money by a nose over Halo Nation after a difficult trip when pinned in down the lane by Kaigun. 

Up With the Birds, earning his first win since he captured the 2014 edition of the Nijinsky Stakes, covered 1 1/8-miles in 1:49.18.

Pierce and da Silva combined with Up With the Birds for a magical run in 2013 that included added-money scores in the Marine and Breeders' Stakes, at Woodbine. Although he came up a 1/2-length short to Midnight Aria in The Queen's Plate, Up With the Birds, with Cornelio Velazquez up, completed his sophomore campaign with a victory in the Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap at Belmont Park securing Canadian Horse of the Year honours.

Da Silva was pleased to be back aboard Up with the Birds.

“Malcolm brought this horse over happy and fit,” said Da Silva. “I just rode him with a lot of confidence. He was focused all the way, and he made a nice run at the end. He’s a very nice horse. I love this horse, big-time.”

Pierce echoed the sentiments of Woodbine's leading rider.

“It’s great to have him home,” said Pierce. “He’s in great shape. He just loves this course, with the long stretch. It suits his style of running. I’m thrilled.”

Up With the Birds, bred in Ontario by his owner, banked $144,000 in victory while improving his record to 8-4-3 from 25 starts.

 

He paid $5, $2.80 and $2.30, combining with Button Down ($3.60, $3) for a $19.90 (3-1) exactor. A 3-1-4 triactor (Halo Nation, $3.60 to show) was worth $82.50.

Conquest Daddyo swooped the field with an impressive turn of foot to capture Sunday's co-featured $145,000 Toronto Cup, at Woodbine.

 

Trained by Mark Casse for Conquest Stables LLC., the impressive rally stamped the dark bay Scat Daddy colt a favourite for the $500,000 Breeders' Stakes, third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, which is slated for August 21at Woodbine.

 

Sent to post as the even-money favourite, jockey Patrick Husbands took Conquest Daddyo back to last as stablemate Conquest Windycity led the field of six through splits of :23.73, :46.41 and 1:10.42 in the 1 1/8-mile one-turn event over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

 

Runningfromthefeds pressured Conquest Windycity through the turn with Dragon Bay in hot pursuit.  Conquest Daddyo, still last of six through the turn, was urged into gear by Husbands and circled wide around Rocket Plan and Thatlookonyerface to take dead aim at the leaders.

 

Dragon Bay, with Gerry Olguin up, took command of the lead from a fading Conquest Windycity in mid-stretch, but ducked in on rival Runningfromthefeds, piloted by Luis Contreras, in the process. However, there would be no turning back a storming Conquest Daddyo who surged past rivals to secure a 1 3/4-length win.  Dragon Bay stayed on for place, 1 1/2-lengths in front of Rocket Plan.  Conquest Daddyo covered 1 1/8-miles in 1:47.12 over a firm turf.

 

Contreras, who landed in fourth position, launched a successful claim of foul against runner-up Olguin for interference in the stretch run and Dragon Bay was demoted to fourth behind Runningfromthefeds. 

 

Husbands noted that he had to keep after the talented Conquest Daddyo throughout the race.

 

"I had to keep chirping at him the whole way, but when he swings for home he's a whole different horse. By the time I hit the bottom of the lane I was on a different horse," said Husbands.

 

Conquest Daddyyo won on debut in a six furlong maiden allowance tilt on July 26, 2015 and after a second-place run to Ruth Less Blue in the Vandal Stakes, he came back to win the Grade 2 Summer Stakes earning a berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf where he finished fourth.

 

Winless in three previous sophomore starts, Conquest Daddyo arrived at the Toronto Cup from a rallying third-place run in the Charlie Barley Stakes won by Conquest Enforcer.  

 

Conquest Daddyo, bred in Ontario by James Everatt, Janeane Everatt & Arika Everatt-Meeuse, banked $90,000 in victory while improving his record to 3-1-1 from eight starts.

 

He paid $4.40, $3.20 and $2.40, combining with Rocket Plan ($18.50, $6.20) for a $91.10 (1-4) exactor. A 1-4-2 triactor (Runningfromthefeds, $3.90 to show) was worth $382.60.