Yorkton Wires G3 Bold Venture

TORONTO, ON – Chiefswood Stable’s homebred Yorkton took the lead early and never looked back, winning in gate-to-wire fashion in Saturday’s Grade 3, $125,000 Bold Venture Stakes at Woodbine.

Breaking from post 9 under Jesse Campbell at odds of 5/1, Yorkton was a step slow but quickly rushed up to take command and post fractions of :22.79 and :45.49. Though initially under pressure from Boreal Spirit, Yorkton began to break away as he straightened for home under urging from his rider. Continuing to draw off without being challenged, the Stuart Simon trainee crossed with a 5 1/4-length advantage in a final time of 1:15.05 for the 6 1/2-furlong sprint over the all weather track.

“My hat’s off to this horse,” said Campbell, who has ridden Yorkton intermittently since he debuted here on August 14, 2016. “He ran through his bridle today. I’ve loved this horse since he was a 2-year-old.”

Left with too much to do as a closer, Sweet Little Man couldn’t catch the winner but was able to get up at the wire and nose out fellow closer Battle in Seattle for second. Boreal Spirit faded to finish fourth by a head over Pink Lloyd, the venerable local hero who disappointed as the even-money favorite after breaking prematurely through his gate and bucking his rider, then hopping up when the gates officially opened. Kingsport took sixth over Loose On the Town, while Sable Island necked out Sweet Grass Creek for eighth to complete the order of finish.

Yorkton’s win was his first since taking an allowance event here on May 12 and improved his overall record to 18-6-1-2. The 4-year-old son of Speightstown has now earned $364,274 in his lifetime.

“He’s been a nice little horse,” Simon said. “He’s really matured a lot in the last two months. He’s probably put on 50 pounds. I was really confident he’d run well today.”

Yorkton returned $12.10 to win, $7.20 to place, and $5.70 to show. Sweet Little Man brought back $8.50 to place and $5.70 to show, while Battle in Seattle paid $7 to show.