Golden Moka stays perfect in Prince of Wales

Good Friends Stable's GOLDEN MOKA (Golden Missile) moved his record to a

perfect four-for-four when making his first start outside of Panama in the $482,600

Prince of Wales S. at Fort Erie. The second jewel of the Canadian Triple

Crown turned into a battle between Queen's Plate winner Big Red Mike (Tenpins),

Mobil Unit (Mobil) and Golden Moka, but the eventual winner put away all rivals

in the stretch to score by 2 3/4 lengths.

Big Red Mike hustled right to the front to lead through the opening quarter

in :23 4/5, but only had a head to spare over Mobil Unit. It was another head

back to Golden Moka as those three headed into the first turn. The trio settled

down a bit on the backstretch, with Big Red Mike backing up to track in third as

Mobil Unit grabbed command through a half in :47 and three-quarters in 1:11 2/5.

Golden Moka kept pace with that rival down on the inside but began to pour it on

once entering the stretch.

With jockey Anthony Stephen in the saddle, the Brian Lynch trainee pulled off

to finish the 1 3/16-mile test in 1:56 2/5 on the fast main track. Mobil Unit

held second by length over Big Red Mike, who only had a neck to spare on

fourth-placer Hotep (A.P. Indy).

Golden Moka was sent off the 10-1 fifth pick in the seven-sophomore field and

paid $22.70, $9.70 and $5.10. Mobil Unit was worth $11.40 and $5.60 at 13-1, and

completed the $325.70 exactor. Big Red Mike was favored at nearly even-money and

gave back $2.10 while ending the $639.10 triactor. The 5-6-4-3 superfecta

totaled $2,376.20. Mobthewarrior (Mobil), Captain Canuck (Pulpit) and Who We

Gunna Call (Ghostzapper) followed the top four under the wire after Dark Cloud

Dancer (Storm Cat) was withdrawn.

Golden Moka captured his three career starts prior to the Prince of Wales in

Panama at Hipodromo Presidente Remon last year, recording his initial two

victories by a total of 17 lengths. He added the Clasico Sociedad de Duenos de

Caballos (Pan-G3) to his resume on November 22 and caught the attention of

former jockey Rene Douglas, who is still undergoing treatment after suffering a

major spinal injury and paralysis last year in a spill at Arlington Park.

Douglas advised Golden Moka's current connections to purchase the colt, and the

chestnut rewarded that decision with a $285,560 payday here. The Ontario-bred

sophomore's current earnings stand at $301,695.

Golden Moka, bred by Adena Springs, only brought $8,000 as a Keeneland

September yearling. He is out of the unraced Sunset Seeker (Seeking the Gold)

and counts as his third dam Group 3-placed Danseur Fabuleux (Northern Dancer),

who produced the likes of champion Arazi (Blushing Groom [Fr]) and Group 1 hero

Noverre (Rahy). Danseur Fabuleux is half-sister to Grade 1-winning sire Joyeux

Danseur (Nureyev) and Grade 3 victress Doubles Partner (Damascus).

The Prince of Wales was sandwiched in between a pair of five-furlong turf

events. Prior to the race Tallyho Racing Ltd.'s DRUNKEN LOVE (Whiskey Wisdom)

successfully defended his title in the $48,260

Daryl Wells Sr. Memorial S. with a dominating 6 1/4-length score under Gerry

Olguin. The Norman McKnight-trained five-year-old gelding stopped the clock in

:56.64 on the firm going, just .14 seconds off the track record, and improved

his career line to 25-9-6-3, $500,657.

It was a completely different story after the Prince of Wales, as AUTHENICAT

(D'wildcat) just got her nose down on the line of the $48,261

Ernie

Samuel Memorial S. to take her first win of the year. The now five-time

stakes heroine, ridden by Patrick Husbands and trained by Josie Carroll, finished

up in :59 4/5 to move her record to 25-7-7-4, $719,653.