Rafael Hernandez and Easy Time hung out in the middle of the field of six, moved to the front on the final turn, and easily found the winner's circle in the Grade 3 Marine Stakes at Woodbine.
Going a mile and a sixteenth on the Tapeta at the Toronto, Ontario track, the six 3-year-old colts and geldings broke evenly, with Tidal Forces and Haddassah matching strides early. On the first turn, Keveh Nicholls on Haddassah ceded the lead to Tidal Forces, sitting a half-length back for the first part of the race. On the backstretch, Nicholls moved Haddassah to the front, a length in front of Tidal Forces and Easy Time.
As the field approached the turn, Rafael Hernandez gave Easy Time the cue and started their move for the lead on the outside of Haddassah. Into the stretch, Easy Time was in command, leading by two lengths with Keep Grinding out toward the middle of the track charging late. Keep Grinding's move was not fast enough to catch Easy Time, who found the G3 Marine an easy victory in 1:43.62 for the mile and a sixteenth. Haddassah held on for third, with Frosted Over, Tidal Forces, and Candy Overload rounding out the field.
Easy Time paid $11.10, $7.50, and $4.90. Keep Grinding paid $10.60 and $6.70. Haddassah paid $3.90 to show.
“It was unbelievable today,” said Hernandez, who was also aboard the Kentucky-bred colt for his victorious career debut at Woodbine last October. “They told me, 'Raffi, just ride with confidence, get in good position and he's going to do the rest.' He did it.”
Trained by Mark Casse, Easy Time is a Kentucky bred sired by Not This Time out of the Cape Town mare Running Creek. He was bred by Woods Edge Farm and sold to Lori and Mark Collinsworth at the Keeneland September 2019 Yearling Sale for $62,000. Owners Breeze Easy purchased Easy Time from Ocala Stud at the 2020 Ocala Breeders' July Two-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale for $250,000.
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