Woodbine: Nobals successfully defends Kennedy Road title
Nobals defended his title with a determined victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, US$124,777 Kennedy Road at Woodbine.
The 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner again looked comfortable at the Toronto oval.
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Rafael Hernández settled Nobals, the 4-5 favorite, into third early as Western Whirl and Reload’s Rascal ran one-two in the six-furlong main-track race for 3-year-olds and up.
Western Whirl led Reload’s Rascal by a half-length with Nobals another 1 1/2 lengths back through an opening quarter in 22.26 seconds.
The front duel continued after a half in 44.85 seconds as the pair battled off the turn.
Hernández guided Nobals outside and asked for run. The multiple graded-stakes winner accelerated in upper stretch and took command midway down the lane. Lucky Score, far back early, rallied strongly in the final 100 yards while Awesome Bourbon and Society’s Thunder also closed well.
Nobals held on by a half-length in 1:09.85. Lucky Score finished second but was disqualified to fourth. Awesome Bourbon moved up to second and Society’s Thunder to third.
Hernández, who rode Nobals to a neck second behind No Nay Hudson in the Oct. 4 Nearctic Stakes (G2) at Woodbine, praised the bay gelding who is approaching $2 million in career earnings.
“My plan was that the two (Western Whirl), obviously he’s going to go, and the three (Reload’s Rascal) is going to show a lot of speed,” said Woodbine’s leading rider in wins and stakes wins in 2025. “In case the three didn’t go, I was going to sit right next to the two. But it set up perfect.”
It marked another strong showing at the Toronto oval for the 6-year-old Nobals.
In 2022, the son of Noble Mission out of the Empire Maker mare Pearly Blue won the Woodstock Stakes. The final time of 1:07.63 remains a track record. Last year, he took the Kennedy Road in 1:08.59.
With the win, Nobals, owned by Patricia’s Hope, improved to 30: 13-6-1.
“They make your job easy when you can do whatever you want with the horses,” Hernández said. “They have a lot of class, horses like that. It just makes your job easy.”
Bred in Kentucky by Dr. John A. Chandler, Nobals sold for $3,500 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Fall Yearling Sale.
He paid $3.80 to win.