Field Commission fires late in Nearctic

Kicking off the stakes action on Canadian International Day at Woodbine, Ed

Seltzer and Daniel Vella's FIELD COMMISSION (Service Stripe) exploded amidst the

cavalry charge in deep stretch to capture the $527,256

Nearctic

S. (Can-G2) by 1 1/2 lengths. Trained by Vella and ridden by Julien Leparoux,

the four-year-old chestnut completed six furlongs in 1:09 1/5 on the firm turf

to earn his first victory on the surface after three solid efforts.

Field Commission, who was coming off a sixth in the Woodbine Mile (Can-G1),

was reserved well off the early pace set by longshot Silver Z (Cee's Tizzy)

through an opening quarter in :22 2/5. Chamberlain Bridge (War Chant) was lapped

onto the leader, then took charge himself while reaching the half in :45 4/5.

Heros Reward (Partner's Hero) applied pressure, with 2-1 favorite Jungle Wave

(Hold That Tiger) working his way forward on the outside.

At the top of the stretch, Chamberlain Bridge stayed on gamely from a phalanx

of challengers. Jungle Wave and Heros Reward were soon joined in the fray by

Bogue Chitto (Crafty Prospector), Field Commission and Little Nick (Tiger

Ridge), and the Nearctic was up for grabs in midstretch.

Once Field Commission found a gap, however, it was all over, as he shot

through between foes and kicked clear. In the process, he gained revenge on

Jungle Wave, who had beaten him three straight times. The 5-1 third choice

returned $13.20, $8.70 and $4.70 while keying the $273.50 exactor, $976.90

triactor and $6,372.10 superfecta (1-8-11-6).

"It (the Woodbine Mile) probably wasn't his best race of all time," Vella

said. "Going a little shorter, he seems to have more of a kick. The one-hole,

you don't really like it when you first get it, but we decided to use it to our

advantage, try to save a little ground and rely on the jock to get him out when

it was time."

"The trainer told me to wait on the rail and be patient," Leparoux said. "I

think he deserves it (to go on to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on November 7 at

Oak Tree). We were in a very good position. He was very relaxed on the rail. I

was able to get out and he finished well. He's a nice horse. He ran very big

today." 

The 21-1 Bogue Chitto grabbed second in a three-way photo, paying $18.20 and

$7.60. Jungle Wave was a head back in third and yielded $2.80. Little Nick

(Tiger Ridge) came another nose away in fourth and was followed by Heros Reward,

Grand Adventure (Grand Slam), Chamberlain Bridge, Storm Treasure (Storm Boot),

Karakorum Elektra (Freud), Legal Move (Bold Executive) and Silver Z.

Field Commission is in the form of his life this season. Successful in the

Vigil S. (Can-G3) on the Polytrack, he has also finished second in a pair of

graded events on turf, the Play the King S. (Can-G2) and Highlander S. (Can-G3).

Field Commission has now bankrolled $746,931 from his 18-6-4-4 line.

Bred by Minshall Farms in Ontario, Field Commission is out of the unraced

Tearfull Moment (Schossberg), who is herself a half-sister to Canadian stakes

winners Spider Wire (Bold Ruckus), Avid Affection (Lord Avie) and Barbed Wire

(Affirmed). Field Commission has an unraced juvenile half-sister named

Monumental Journey (Van Nistelrooy).