The 12th Running of the Frost King Stakes
November 21, 2021 13:35
WO Race #3 $100.000 61/2 Furlongs
ON-Bred 2YOs 120 Lbs (Plus Penalties)
Track Record-1:14.73 (Aggravating-2021)
Stakes Record-1:15.79 (Caleb Toothpaste-2018)
Gaudeamus broke his maiden in September coming from well off of the pace when going 6.5 furlongs at WO. On Sunday, going the same trip at the same venue, Gaudeamus used stalking tactics to take down the $100.000 Frost King Stakes for ON-bred 2yos. The Frost King win is his second in four career races, 4-2-0-0, and sets him up nicely for his sophomore campaign as he now has earnings of $99.000.
With the scratches of Grande Foire and Orange Chicken, it was a clean break for all four entrants. Storm The Gates set the early pace as the other three runners broke in a line behind him. Through an opening quarter mile in :23.27, Gaudeamus was two lengths back and on the inside of Walk Naked and Triceps. As is often the case in short-field races, the latter duo were stuck two and three wide, respectively, through the early stages.
As the leader reached the half-mile point in :46.74, Gaudeamus moved off of the rail, but didn’t cause Walk Naked and Triceps any ground-loss. At the top of the lane, Gaudeamus moved to Storm The Gates and quickly put his head in front. Walk Naked drifted-out a bit which, in turn, cause Triceps to move out a couple paths as well. Gaudeamus was able to keep Storm The Gates at bay; however, the duo in the center of the track kept trying. At the wire, Gaudeamus was a short neck in front of Walk Naked while Triceps was another half-length back in third as he just got the bob on Storm The Gates. The time for the 6.5 furlongs on the “good” WO surface was 1:17.09.
Congratulations to Gaudeamus and Fractious for their victory in the 2021 edition of the Frost King.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
