Grouse Mountain Noses Come To Papa to Win BC Juvenile

By Cozman on November 6, 2021

Friday 11/5/2021

13 DMR BC Juvenile (GI) [KYD]

$2,000.000 2yo 1 1/16m Dirt 126lbs

Preference to BC Juvenile Points

And like that, John Henry proves why he is a pillar to this game… after plunking down $300.000 to acquire Grouse Mountain, the 2yo gelded son of Nebula Fire was winless in three trips to the gate for this long-time conditioner. Well, Friday proved why he is a respected trainer… sitting well off of the lead, the gray 2yo unleashed a power lane move and got up on the wire to take the photo, winning the BC Juvenile (GI) by the slightest of margins. Come To Papa just missed in a game effort, also closing from well off of the early pace as the 7/1 third choice. Come With Assets nosed out post time favorite Suikoden II for the third money. The final running time was 1:42.08 and less than five lengths covered the field in this one.

The full field of fourteen loaded into the starting gate, the flag went up… and off in the 2021 BC Juvenile with Blasphemy, Killer Instinct and Suikoden II all showing good speed, Custom Continental, North Island, Hilarity and Warrior Of Chiefs just in behind that leading trio, then Liberia, Come With Assets and Up In Smoke from the outside, down to the rail for Come To Papa, then the trailing trio of Fionas Miracle, Chai West from the outside and Grouse Mountain from the rail.

Past the stands the first time and into the clubhouse turn, they made their way around the turn and thundered onto the backside with five and a half furlongs to run, Blasphemy in front by three-quarters of a length, Killer Instinct on his flank and applying pressure, Suikoden II tucked in behind that pair, then a gap to North Island caught four wide, Hilarity next to that one, down to the rail for Custom Continental, gap of a length and a half to Liberia, Come To Papa in the two path, Come With Assets between that pair then Grouse Mountain on the rail, then a gap to Up In Smoke, Fionas Miracle and Chair West was the back marker.

Now making their way down the backside and heading into the far turn, three and a half furlongs to run and Blasphemy skipped off to lead by two. Killer Instinct losing some ground and now on the outside of Suikoden II, a gap of two and a half to North Island still widest of all, Hilarity to his inside and down to the rail for Custom Continental, Warrior Of Chiefs just in behind that trio, Liberia on his outside, then a length to Grouse Mountain still saving ground, Come To Papa between horses and Come With Assets three wide, Up In Smoke on his flank, then a gap to the trailing pair of Fionas Miracle and Chai West.

Swing around the far turn and to the top of the lane with just more than a furlong to go, Blasphemy’s lead was down to three-quarter’s of a length as Suikoden II was moving forward with every stride. There was a calvary charge behind that duo… eight across the track… with Grouse Mountain now moving forward quickly, Custom Continental to his inside, Killer Mountain, North island, Hilarity, Liberia, Come To Papa and Come With Assets all with a chance. Warrior Of Chiefs just in behind that wall, Up In Smoke widest of all, back to the inside for Chai West and Fionas Miracle was now the trailer.

Now inside the final sixteenth, we had a horse race on our hands as they lined up across the track for the sprint to the finish… Suikoden II down the center of the track with a nose in front, but Grouse Mountain had continued his push forward and was now within a nostril with the leader. Come To Papa out wider but showing interest, Blasphemy from the rail but shortening headed in the wrong direction, Come With Assets out wide and trying to find more… the rest had a lot of work to do as the run to the wire was on!

Inside the final 150-yards and to the finish, Grouse Mountain stuck a head in front, Come To Papa now showing a late kick, Suikoden II wasn’t done yet and Come With Assets down the outside, but as they hit the wire, it was just too close to call as Grouse Mountain and Come To Papa seemed to hit the wire as one… the stewards looked at the photograph, the crowd waited with anticipation… and up on the tote, it was Grouse Mountain by the narrowest of margins, taking the biggest win of his career, winning this one by the slimmest of margins! Come To Papa was a hard-beat second, the a quarter length back to Come With Assets in third. Suikoden II was a nose back in fourth, then Custom Continental fifth, his stable mate Up In Smoke sixth, Blasphemy seventh, North Island and Liberia inseparable in eighth, Chai West tenth, Hilarity eleventh, Warrior Of Chiefs twelfth, Killer Instinct thirteenth, and Fionas Miracle closed this one out.

Grouse Mountain is a gray 2yo gelded son of Nebula Fire – Pink On The Brink, by Pink Pride, and he was bred by Greeko Holdem in ON. This was his third lifetime win, his first graded score and he now has career earnings of $1,379.320. Congratulations to the connections!