Gretzky the Great Scores At Woodbine
By: TDN
6th-Woodbine, C$108,646, Msw, 8-2, 2yo, 6f (AWT) (off turf), 1:09.84, ft.
GRETZKY THE GREAT (c, 2, Nyquist–Pearl Turn {MSP, $182,560}, by Bernardini), sent off the hot 1-2 choice, jumped out to an early advantage, led through splits of :22.77 and :45.09 and turned on all boosters late, crossing the wire 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Liars Club (Broken Vow). The Ontario bred kicked off his career for Mark Casse with a second-place effort sprinting five panels over the local turf July 12 behind Ready to Repeat (More Than Ready), who would go on to air in the Victoria S. later on this card. Gretzky the Great’s victory made him the second winner for his freshman sire (by Uncle Mo). The Darley stallion recorded his third winner minutes later in Saratoga’s sixth race with Lady Lilly. Gretzky the Great has a yearling half-brother by Quality Road and his dam, who was multiple stakes-place routing on the dirt before being acquired for $310,000 by David Anderson in foal to Pioneerof the Nile at KEENOV ’16, was bred to Nyquist’s sire for 2021. Gretzky the Great is bred on the same Uncle Mo–Bernardini cross as GISW Mo Town and Grade II winners Modernist and Mopotism. Sales history: $295,000 RNA Ylg ’19 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $61,234. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Gary Barber; B-Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. (ON); T-Mark E. Casse.