Cazadero, under Patrick Husbands, closed with authority to win the $255,500 Nearctic Stakes (G2) Saturday at Woodbine.
The six-furlong turf stakes for 3-year-olds and upward, attracted a competitive field of eight, including Cazadero, a 4-year-old son of Street Sense out of Wild Gams, by Forest Wildcat.
Into the Sunrise took control soon after the gates opened and was immediately confronted to his outside by 2020 Nearctic winner and multiple stakes victor Silent Poet, and 4-5 choice Bound for Nowhere, the Wesley Ward trained and owned bay who came into the race off a smart score in the Grade 2 Highlander on July 2 at Woodbine.
Ahead by a half-length after a quarter reached in :22.93, Into the Sunrise continued to be hounded by the duo of Silent Poet and Bound for Nowhere, as Husbands and Cazadero could see them all from in eighth.
As the field came off the turn for home, through a half in :45.29, Silent Poet and Bound for Nowhere enveloped the leader and then looked to separate themselves from their rivals down the long E.P. Taylor stretch. Cazadero, still last, began to pick up momentum in early stretch and started to gain steadily on the lead pair.
Mid-way down the lane, Cazadero was in full flight, gliding past the frontrunners en route to a 2 ¼-length score. Bound for Nowhere bested Silent Poet by a head for second. Ice Chocolat finished fourth.
Final time for six panels over firm going was 1:09.11.
“I just looked at the form and saw that this is the second time he's gone on the turf,” said Husbands, aboard for the first time. “In the last race, he came off the pace, flying. I just tried to ride him back the same way.”
It was the fourth win from 10 starts for Cazadero, trained by Brendan Walsh for Marc Detampel.
Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, the gelding came into the Nearctic off a closing third in a 5 ½-furlong turf allowance optional claiming race (he was listed for $62,500) at Saratoga on August 27.
Cazadero, who returned $18.40, notched his first stakes score in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor on June 27, 2020, at Churchill Downs.
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