Article: Funny Cide Brings Fans to Feet in Winning Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine
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Funny Cide Brings Fans to Feet in Winning Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine
Jul 2, 12:44 AM (ET)
article at http://sports.iwon.com/news/07012006/v1294.html
TORONTO (AP) - Funny Cide, the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes champion, won his first race outside the United States on Saturday - taking the $200,000 Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine by 1½-lengths.
The Barclay Tagg trainee, sent off as the 8-5 favorite, became the first Kentucky Derby winner to finish first at Woodbine since Secretariat did it in 1973.
Funny Cide, who broke from the inside post, took command of the 1\-mile Dominion Day from the outset, clicking off uncontested early fractions of :23.62 and :47.14.
The son of Distorted Humor, who was victorious in the Kings Point Handicap on April 30 at Aqueduct, was challenged by Cryptograph in mid-stretch, but dug in gamely along the rail and resisted a strong bid from last year's Durham Cup and Woodbine Slots Cup champion.
"I kind of figured we'd be on the lead," trainer Richard Migliore said. "I knew I had a horse. When the challenge came, he met it. He likes to fight. As long as he can see them, they weren't going to beat him."
Jack Knowlton, managing partner of Sackatoga Stable, was thrilled with the effort of the chestnut, who has two wins in three starts and 22 top-three finishes.
"We've been all over the country, now we've been international with him," said Knowlton. "He's taken us places we never thought we'd go. It's great being in the winner's circle and it's a real thrill to be a winner at Woodbine."
The win was the 10th in 31 starts for Funny Cide, the highest-earning, New York-bred horse in history.
Funny Cide returned $5.20, $3.70, $2.60. Nolan's Cat paid $6.10 and $3.20 and completed a $28.40 exacta. Cryptograph paid $2.50 to show and rounded out a $63.60 trifecta.
