Prince of Wales Stakes – $400.000 Purse
FE – For Three Year Olds Foaled in Canada
1 3/16th Mile – Dirt
September 13, 2022
Dwyer winner Brave Freedom proved the Queens Plate was a fluke by winning the Prince of Wales, the fourth win in his last five starts. He got past some very good horses on his way to the wire.
The field broke well. State General, Gendarmerie and Brave Freedom came out fastest but only by a quarter length over Chancellor. Behind them, The Generals Quest, Ocean Of Wisdom and Bruddafrmanuddamudda ran stride for stride just 1 3/4 length back.
Under the wire for the first time, State General poked his head through on the rail and Gendermerie kept pace, then pulled ahead by 1/2 length on the outside.
They headed into the turn and State General cut Gendarmerie’s lead to 1/4 length. Chancellor held third on the outside with the gray, Brave Freedom, close behind between horses. The Generals Quest found running room on the inside, ahead of Bruddafrmanuddamudda and Ocean Of Wisdom.
Gendarmerie and State General ran in tandem on the front while Chancellor tracked them in third on the outside with Brave Freedom to his inside and half a length back.
State General took the lead as the field neared the turn for home. Gendarmerie held on in second. Brave Freedom got a nose in front of Chancellor but had nowhere to run. Around the turn, State General drew clear by a length. Brave Freedom moved to the rail but still had no place to go. Gendarmerie ran fourth. On the outside, Bruddafrmanuddamudda started his run.
The field bunched at the head of the stretch. Only four lengths separated State General on the lead and Ocean Of Wisdom in the rear. With a furlong to run, State General held on to the lead by 1/2 length over Brave Freedom. Bruddafrmanuddamudda took third from Gendarmerie. Chancellor dropped back to fifth. The General Quest dropped onto the rail but made up no ground. Ocean Of Wisdom in last was just 2 1/2 lengths behind the leader.
Brave Freedom finally got past State General in the shadow of the rail. State General and Bruddafrmanuddamudda battled for second. On the far outside, Ocean Of Wisdom was coming on strong, but in the end could do no better than fourth.
At the wire, it was Brave Freedom over Bruddafrmanuddamudda. State General held on for third.
It was the fifth win in twelve starts for the three-year-old gelding. Bred in Ontario by owner Nakamura Stables, Brave Freedom is by Strategic Freedom out of Brave Diva (Brave Decision). The win brings Brave Freedom’s earnings to $551.370. Congratulations to Brave Freedom and Nakamura Stables!
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
