The 1 1/2-mile GI Northern Dancer Turf S. at Woodbine Saturday saw 2015 GI Arlington Million hero The Pizza Man regain the winning thread over GISW Wake Forest (Ger) and race favorite World Approval, who had landed the GI United Nations S. earlier in the season.
Sent off at 5-1, the popular gelding rated behind World Approval, with Button Down (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) to his inside in third, as that rival crawled through early fractions of :26.97, and 53.99. The halfway mark was reached in a glacial 1:19.92 and positions remained largely unchanged until three furlongs out. The Pizza Man tackled the grey pacesetter, but did not immediately win clear with a quarter of a mile to run and it appeared that any one of four horses could snatch top honors, as GIII Singspiel S. winner Danish Dynaformer (Dynaformer) and Wake Forest made their bids to the outside of The Pizza Man. The bay clawed past a grudging World Approval in deep stretch and barely held off Wake Forest to return to the winner's circle. After a dismal break, Majeed (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}) came on late for fourth, with Danish Dynaformer fifth.
“There was no pace,” said Prat. “He was comfortable close to the lead, which was fine for me. I was really happy with the whole trip. When the leader started picking it up heading for home, I thought I couldn't catch him. And when the horse [Wake Forest] came up on the outside he actually helped me pass the leader.”
Twice a winner of the GIII Star and Stripes S. in 2014 and 2015, The Pizza Man added the aforementioned Arlington Million last August and only missed by a head in the GI Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland in October of 2015. Too wide in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf when fifth to 'TDN Rising Star' Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) on Halloween, The Pizza Man bounced back to take the GII Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar Nov. 26. Making his 7-year-old bow, the English Channel gelding closed to take fifth in the GI Gulfstream Turf H. Feb. 6 and rolled a pair of fours–in the GII Wise Dan S. beneath the Twin Spires June 18 and when attempting a defense of his Stars and Stripes title at Arlington July 9. He excited this year's Arlington Million with a sixth, after covering extra real estate Aug. 13.
Pedigree Notes:
Richard & Karen Papiese of Midwest Thoroughbreds bred The Pizza Man out of the winning Lear Fan mare I Can Fan Fan, who was twice stakes placed at Arlington Park and Hawthorne Park. She foaled three winners from three runners, with The Pizza Man the best of the three. The last known foal of I Can Fan Fan, The Pizza Man's second dam is MSW Flower Circle (Lieutenant's Lark).
Saturday, Woodbine
NORTHERN DANCER TURF S. PRESENTED BY HPIBET-GI, C$301,800, WO, 9-17, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:31.75, gd.
1–THE PIZZA MAN, 123, g, 7, by English Channel
1st Dam: I Can Fan Fan (MSP, $182,993), by Lear Fan
2nd Dam: Flower Circle, by Lieutenant's Lark
3rd Dam: Social Circle, by Circle
O/B-Midwest Thoroughbreds (IL); T-Roger A. Brueggemann;
J-Flavien Prat. C$180,000. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 31-17-2-2,
$2,079,326. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: C.
2–Wake Forest (Ger), 126, h, 6, Sir Percy (GB)–Wurfspiel (Ger),
by Lomitas (GB). (€40,000 Ylg '11 BBAGS; €140,000 5yo '15
ARARC). O-Sheep Pond Partners, LLC, Michael Dubb &
Bethlehem Stables LLC; B-Stiftung Gestut Fahrhof (GER);
T-Chad C. Brown. C$60,000.[bullet ad=”bradley-purchase-2″][bullet ad=”peter-bradleyhubert-guy-purchase”][bullet ad=”german-horsepower”][bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–World Approval, 126, g, 4, Northern Afleet–Win Approval, by
With Approval. O-Live Oak Plantation; B-Live Oak Stud (FL);
T-Mark E. Casse. C$30,000.
Margins: NK, NK, 1 3/4. Odds: 5.55, 5.20, 2.75.
Also Ran: Majeed (GB), Danish Dynaformer, Camp Creek, Button Down (GB), Big Blue Kitten.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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