Carson’s Run uses late run to take Grade 1 Summer Stakes

TORONTO, September 16, 2023 – Carson’s Run, rallying from last place in the field of nine, stormed down the outside to put away the front-running My Boy Prince for an emphatic 2 ¼-length tally in Saturday’s $500,000 bet365 Summer Stakes (G1T) over one mile of turf at Woodbine.

Ridden by Dylan Davis, Carson’s Run was becoming a stakes winner in the Summer and earned a fees-paid berth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, a one-mile race which will be run this year at Santa Anita on November 3.

“He did very well there because he saved all the ground he could and then when he angled him out at the quarter pole, we had to come wide obviously, but that way you don’t get any traffic,” said Christophe Lorieul, assistant to Carson’s Run’s conditioner Christophe Clement. “He had a clear run from quarter pole to the wire and he really showed what he is today.”

My Boy Prince, coming off a 14-length romp here in the restricted Simcoe Stakes, cut out fractions of :23.46, :47.10 and 1:11.32 while racing on the inside but failed to contain the winner’s rally and had to settle for second money as the 9-5 favourite.

Go for Gusto, one of two fillies in the field, gave trainer Mark Casse a two-three finish in the Summer, also coming from the backfield to finish a half-length behind his stablemate.

Tunechi ran fourth, another 1 ¼ lengths back, with Souper Attentive, Western Whirl, and King of the Track the fifth-through seventh-place finishers. Souper Attentive and King of the Track also hail from the Casse barn.

Airosa, who along with Go for Gusto was also entered in the Natalma Stakes, was sent off as the 5-2 second choice.

Trained by Kevin Attard, Airosa appeared to be well-placed under jockey John Velasquez but emptied out on the final turn and ended eighth, outfinishing only stablemate Bucyk. Bolt Enoree and Golden Canary were cross-entered in the Natalma Stakes (G1T) and were scratched.

Finishing in 1:35.70 over a course rated “good,” Carson’s Run returned $8.60 as the third choice.

Carson’s Run was making his third career start in the Summer after winning his debut over 1 1/16 miles of turf at Saratoga and coming back to finish second in the listed With Anticipation Stakes over the same distance and surface.

“He is a great ride; I’ve ridden him all three starts,” said Davis. “His last start, he got a little intimidated being in between horses. I thought he could have done a better job in there, but he is still learning.

“Today, we wanted to go with the outside route and keep a clear trip on him. We saved all the ground going into the turn – nice real big turn here – and he was able to get it done.”

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds in partnership with Steven Bouchey, Carson’s Run was a $170,000 purchase in Ocala this January and is a colt by Cupid out of the Henny Hughes mare Hot N Hectic.

The Clement barn was winning its second Summer Stakes, having captured the 2019 renewal with Decorated Invader.

Davis and Clement teamed up to win both the E.P. Taylor (G1T) and Dance Smartly (G2T) with Mutamakina in 2021.

Bill Tallon, for Woodbine Communications