A well-timed late charge proved decisive as G T Five Hundred swept past rivals in the closing strides to capture Sunday’s $100,000 Thorncliffe Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack , capping a strongly run five-furlong contest with authority.
Breaking sharply from post three, the six-year-old son of Astern (AUS) settled into a comfortable rhythm in third as Poulin in O T and Scorching locked horns through a sharp opening quarter in 21.62. The pair continued their duel around the bend, reaching the top of the stretch together after a brisk half-mile in 44.39, setting the race up for a closer.
Inside the final three-sixteenths, Rafael Hernandez angled G T Five Hundred to the outside and asked for his effort. The response was immediate. Finishing strongly down the centre of the track, the gelding edged ahead in the final strides to score by a neck over Scorching, who held second by half a length from Poulin in O T in a tightly packed finish.
“I sat behind the speed horses and I knew they would come back to me,” Hernandez said. “I’ve been working this horse and I like him. When I asked for a turn of foot, he showed up today.”
The performance had been hinted at in morning work, notably a sharp four-furlong breeze in 47 seconds flat on April 18, the fastest of 136 runners that day over the Woodbine main track.
Now under the care of Dale Desruisseaux, the bay Kentucky-bred made an immediate impression on his local debut following a transfer from former trainer Michael Maker. Racing for new connections Centennial Farms (Niagara) Inc., G T Five Hundred delivered a polished display that suggests further success could follow.
“We’ve had him about six or seven weeks now — he’s a pretty straightforward horse,” Desruisseaux said. “We were slightly concerned about the distance today. His best trip might be six to six and a half furlongs where he doesn’t have to hustle early. But things worked out well.”
Pre-race developments added intrigue when Go Kart Mozart unseated rider Sofia Vives during the post parade and was subsequently withdrawn. The late scratch raised concerns about the pace scenario, though the expected pressure materialised.
“When he came out, I thought Poulin might get loose on the lead,” Desruisseaux added. “But we still got the pace we needed.”
Following the race, the rider of Poulin in O T lodged an objection against Scorching, citing interference. However, stewards found insufficient grounds to amend the placings, leaving the result unchanged.
The victory marked G T Five Hundred’s 11th career win from 41 starts and further underlined his affinity for synthetic surfaces, improving his record to six wins from eight attempts on all-weather tracks.
The final time for the five furlongs was 1:04.64.
With this performance, attention now turns to a potential outing in the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier Stakes later this month, where the gelding could look to build on an already impressive résumé.
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