Are You Kidding Me, with a prominent performance, successfully defended his title in Saturday’s Grade II $209,200 Eclipse Stakes, at Woodbine.
Trained by Roger Attfield for owners Ronald K. Kirk, John C. Bates and Michael Riordan, the Run Away and Hide bay was named Canada’s champion older male in 2015 on the back of Grade II wins in the Eclipse, Nijinsky and Autumn Stakes all at Woodbine.
Are You Kidding Me arrived at the Eclipse, a 1 1/16-mile Tapeta route, from a flat effort in the Grade I Makers Mark Mile at Keeneland when eighth, but was made the 6-5 mutuel favourite on Saturday in a compact six-horse field.
Alan Garcia sent Are You Kidding Me to the lead from the outset with Melmich, a six-time winner in eight starts last season, providing pressure through an opening quarter in :25.51. Florida Won, off slowly, rushed up to join the pacesetters through the opening turn as the duel continued through a leisurely half in :50.50.
Are You Kidding Me led the field to the final turn and was able to put away Melmich early in the stretch run, with more than enough in the tank to hold off the 2015 Prince of Wales champ, Breaking Lucky, for a two-length score. Melmich stayed on for show money. Are You Kidding Me stopped the clock in 1:44.95.
A stalking winner of the last year’s event, Are You Kidding Me employed a front-running style, one that worked for the now six-year-old horse in winning the 2013 edition of the Grade III Kent Stakes at Delaware Park, to defend his Eclipse title.
“He won in Delaware wire to wire and I saw in the program that there was no speed, so Roger (Attfield) said, ‘You know the horse very well, so go ahead,'” said Garcia. “It worked out good. It was a slow pace. It was comfortable and turning for home I asked him to go, and he took off.
“When I was feeling my horse so comfortable after the first quarter, I thought I was home free,” continued Garcia. “He was so happy to be up there and I only had to wait to the quarter pole to let him run.”
Are You Kidding Me, bred in Kentucky by Michael Riordan, Ron Kirk and John Bates, banked $120,000 in victory while improving his record to 7-3-6 from 26 starts.
He paid $4.60, $3.20 and $2.50, combining with Breaking Lucky ($4.80, $3) for a $19.60 (5-1) exactor. A 5-1-6 triactor (Melmich, $2.40 to show) was worth $48.10.
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