Vitality wins Prince of Wales Stakes with late speed

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Vitality showed enough ability in the King’s Plate last month to earn a shot in the Prince of Wales Stakes.

On Tuesday, the three-year-old gelding made the most of the opportunity, putting on a spectacular stretch display in winning the $400,000 second jewel of the Canadian triple crown at Fort Erie Race Track by four lengths at odds of 9-1.

Ridden by Jose Campos, Vitality sat in mid-pack behind Airosa, who led the field early in the 1 3/16-mile race. Just before the final turn, Campos moved his runner to the outside and began his move. Airosa had shaken off Wyoming Bill who kept her company but had little resistance for Vitality, who took the lead at the eighth pole and drew off.

“I camped just behind the pace,” Campos, who captured his first Canadian classic with the win, said. “I put my horse in a good spot and when I asked him to make a run, he responded very well.”

Trained by Harold Ladouceur, who was also winning a triple crown race for the first time, Vitality came into the race with just a maiden win in eight starts. But the sixth-place finish in the Plate encouraged his connections.

“Talking with the farm manager, we were really confident,” he said. “We came to the conclusion, let’s run him.”

Airosa and Bedard, both trained by Kevin Attard, rounded out the trifecta. Meanwhile, two Mark Casse trainees who took most of the betting, Midnight Mascot and Essex Serpent, failed to factor.

The Prince of Wales lost its triple crown lustre two weeks ago when King’s Plate winner Caitlinhergreatness was not nominated to the race. Trainer Kevin Attard indicated the filly needed a break after a tough stretch which also saw her finish second in the Woodbine Oaks.

Plate runner-up My Boy Prince is being pointed to Saturday’s $1 million Woodbine Mile. The turf race, which offers a Breeders’ Cup berth, will be drawn Wednesday with a field of nine expected.

The final leg of the series is the Breeders’ Stakes on Sept. 29. Ladouceur said Vitality would be pointed to that race.

Also, jockey Justin Stein swept the undercard stakes races with Frac Amour going gate-to-wire in the $100,000 Rondeau Bay Stakes and Junior Hot Shot accomplishing the same in the $100,000 Lake Erie Stakes.

In the cup events for Fort Erie-based starters, Victory March, with Edgar Zenteno aboard, took the $30,000 Le Cinquieme Essai Cup, and Pietro Moran steered Menagerie to win the $30,000 Molson Cup.