True Metropolitan leads every step of the way in Dominion Day

At Woodbine on Sunday, Bob Cheema's TRUE METROPOLITAN (Proud and True) showed

why he's the reigning champion older horse in Canada, posting a determined,

front-running victory in the C$200,400

Dominion

Day S. (Can-G3). After breaking alertly with Todd Kabel, the Terry Jordan

charge opened up a clear lead while rattling off splits of :23 4/5, :47 2/5,

1:12 and 1:37 2/5. He was briefly accosted by Mustanfar (Unbridled) in the

stretch, but True Metropolitan tapped into his plentiful reserves and kept his

rival safely at bay by a half-length. The dark bay gelding finished 1 1/4 miles

on the Polytrack in 2:04 1/5 to record his ninth career stakes score, returning

$4.80, $3.10 and $2.20 as the 7-5 second choice.

"He showed so much grit through the lane," Kabel said. "That horse (Mustanfar)

came to him a couple of times, and he just kept going. He wasn't letting anyone

by him. The only way he was going to get caught is if somebody caught him off

guard."

Mustanfar had lagged far back early, made a powerful move on the far turn and

endangered the winner before settling for runner-up honors. The 7-2 shot paid

$4.10 and $2.90 and concluded the $14.70 exactor. Another two lengths back in

third came the 6-5 favorite, Palladio (Lycius), who finished evenly to yield

$2.10. The 1-3-5 triactor was worth $30.20. Colorful Judgment (Diesis [GB]) was

fourth, trailed by Shillelagh Slew (Chief Seattle) and Getaway Candidate (Sky

Classic).

True Metropolitan has now amassed $617,089 in earnings from his 27-12-4-4

line. He reeled off seven stakes victories during his 2006 championship season,

including the British Columbia Premiers H. (Can-G3) at his home base of Hastings

Park and the Woodbine Slots Cup S. (Can-G3). True Metropolitan kicked off his

2007 campaign with a win in the George Royal S., then wound up third to Palladio

in the Eclipse S. (Can-G3), but rebounded with a 4 1/4-length allowance romp in

his prep for the Dominion Day.

Bred in Florida by Frank Bertolino, the five-year-old is out of the

stakes-placed Forest Dunes (Green Forest) and has an unraced juvenile

half-brother named Bruno's a Biter (B L's Appeal).

The C$250,000

Bison

City S. produced a far more controversial result when 2-5 favorite Sealy Hill (Point Given) was disqualified from her

clear-cut victory and relegated to third because of interference in the stretch.

Hidden Creek Farm's STREET SOUNDS (Street Cry [Ire]), who finished 1 1/2 lengths

behind Sealy Hill, was elevated to first place, and Quiet Jungle (Forest

Wildcat) was promoted to second. As a result, Woodbine Oaks heroine Sealy Hill

was stripped of her chance to sweep Canada's Triple Tiara, which concludes with

the July 28 Wonder Where S.

Sealy Hill raced within striking position early, loping on the outside just

off fractions of :23 3/5, :47 3/5 and 1:12. With Patrick Husbands sitting chilly

in the saddle, she cruised up to challenge the pacesetting Saskawea (Stormy

Atlantic) and Quiet Jungle and quickly took charge in the stretch, lugging in

and causing Quiet Jungle to steady. In the stewards' opinion, Sealy Hill caused

sufficient interference to warrant a disqualification.

Street Sounds tracked the pace along the rail and switched to the outside to

deliver her challenge in the lane. The Michael Matz filly gave valiant chase

beneath Ramon Dominguez, but she could not threaten Sealy Hill, who stopped the

teletimer in 1:44 for 1 1/16 miles. Quiet Jungle crossed the wire another 1 1/4

lengths astern.

"It was unfortunate what happened," Matz said, sympathizing with Sealy Hill's

connections. "It happens to all of us, either way. I don't know exactly what

went on out there. We'll take the outcome, that's for sure."

"Unfortunately, in the (Woodbine) Oaks, she had a very bad ride," Dominguez

confessed, referring to Street Sounds' third last time out, when she was beaten

8 1/2 lengths by Sealy Hill. "I'm still learning about this surface and the

fractions, I realize, were way too fast. Today, I was a little more

self-conscious about it. I took a hold of her and let her relax -- more like a

grass race. She finished up nicely."

Sent off as the 5-2 second choice, Street Sounds gave back $7.10, $4.80 and

$2.90. The 16-1 Quiet Jungle yielded $7.90 and $3.40, ending the $71.10 exactor

(2-3). Sealy Hill rewarded her backers with $2.10 to show.

The Ontario-bred winner now boasts a mark of 9-5-0-3 with a bankroll to the

tune of $487,051. Successful in the Selima S. last year as a juvenile, Street

Sounds added the Beaumont S. (G2) and Hilltop S. to her resume this spring. Out of Grade 2-placed Rare Opportunity (Danzig Connection), the dark bay

filly is a half-sister to 2005 Wonder Where victress, Silver Highlight (Silver

Charm), the unraced two-year-old colt Victory Pass (Aljabr) and a 2007 colt by

Elusive Quality. Street Sounds also has an unnamed yearling full sister.

In the C$100,400

Sweet Briar Too S., the day's opening stakes event, Salt and Pepper Stable's

ARDEN BELLE (Dance Brightly) uncorked a five-wide, circling move on the far turn

en route to a 1 3/4-length decision. The Ronald Sadler-trained four-year-old completed seven furlongs in 1:23 2/5 to earn

a first career stakes score not only for herself, but also for her apprentice

rider, Matt Moore. The 7-2 third choice furnished mutuels of $9.40,

$4 and $2.50 while keying exotics worth $25.70 (exactor) and $82.30 (triactor).

Vestrey Lady (Vicar), the 9-5 favorite, dictated the pace through splits of

:22 3/5 and :45 3/5 and managed to hold second, three-quarters of a length ahead

of Saoirse Cat (Storm Cat). The runner-up gave back $3.50 and $2.60, with the

4-1 third-placer returning $3.50.

Arden Belle advanced her scorecard to 16-4-4-1 with $231,045 to her credit.

The first recorded foal from the winning Bow Bells Reef (Virginia Rapids), the

Ontario-bred chestnut has a pair of half-sisters by Graeme Hall, an unnamed yearling and

a 2007 filly.