King Edward BC Stakes (Grade 2)- $175.000 Purse
WO- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Turf
June 27, 2020

After a mile in the 15th running of the Grade 2 King Edward BC Stakes, we would have a very close finish, and after checking out the photo, there would not be a clear cut winner. This would mean that two horses, Sunday Phunnies and Sneaky Little Stover, would have to share the spoils in the King Edward BC Stakes. It is the first time that this race has been a dead heat in its history. Sunday Phunnies, trained by Nakamura Stables, and Sneaky Little Stover, trained by Team 7 Illusions, made each of their trainers a first time winner in the race. The jockeys, A Beschizza and G Franco respectively, are also first time winners. Congratulations to them! The time of the victory was 1:32.72, not one of the quicker times, but all the was needed. Let’s take a look!

(1/4 Mile- :23.15)- Cherokee Reward jumps out to the early lead for Nakamura Stables, and would hold a slim advantage over Calia Stable’s Sundays Sauce. They are heads apart while holding a length lead over Personal Beliefs, from Maxmillion Farm. Nearby to his inside are City Watch, from Mb Stables, and one of our eventual winners, Sunday Phunnies, from Maxmillion Farm. It’s a length back to Bold Express (Mb Stables), and to his outside is our other co-winner, the Team 7 Illusions-trained Sneaky Little Stover. They are about four lengths from the lead. A little further back, it’s Green Rush (Pennsville Farm), and then Detained (Gdp Inc)

(½ Mile- :46.00)- Moving into the turn, Cherokee Reward is able to pull out to a length lead over Sundays Sauce while Personal Beliefs is having a good stalking trip tucked in right behind him. He has pulled away a little from City Watch, and that one is now a length ahead of Bold Express. Sunday Phunnies, who had been with Bold Express, retreats just a little bit and is now running nearly even with the one he would see closely at the wire, Sneaky Little Stover. Green Rush and Detained continue to trail the field.

(Top Of Stretch, 2F To Go)- Cherokee Reward is still the leader on exit of the turn, but is about to be passed by Personal Beliefs, who had patiently run right behind him most of the way, and was now making his move to the front. Sundays Sauce, for now, was still in the three wide position here. City Watch and Bold Express were holding their positions, but not making a move to advance. Meanwhile, both Sunday Phunnies and Sneaky Little Stover were getting ready to make their moves. They had been running even with one another, but Sunday Phunnies would need to find room on the inside while Sneaky Little Stover would have a clearer path moving to the outside. Green Rush and Detained were still at the back, and not really looking like they were going to get involved.

(Finish- 1:32.72)- With a furlong to go, Personal Beliefs was looking pretty good, pulling away from the frontrunners. Both Sunday Phunnies and Sneaky Little Stover seemed to be running into problems, with the fading Cherokee Reward forcing Sunday Phunnies to alter his path, and the drifting Sundays Sauce forcing Sneaky Little Stover further outside. But each of them would not let them get in their way, and coupled with Personal Beliefs seeming to run out of just a little bit of a steam as they approached the wire, we would get a tight finish at the line. The photo could have gone any one of three ways, but the result is a dead heat between Sunday Phunnies and Sneaky Little Stover, each by a nose over Personal Beliefs. Bold Express made a bit late, and settles for fourth. Rounding out the order, its City Watch, Green Rush, Cherokee Reward, Detained, and Sundays Sauce.

About The Winners: Sunday Phunnies, trained by Nakamura Stables, and ridden to victory by G Franco, is a four year old gelding by the late Phunny Guy and is out of Brooms. He was bred in New York by Nakamura Stables as a first quarter two year old, the only trainer for which he has ever known. The win is his sixth in 19 starts, his second stake win and first graded win. His career earnings are now $319.670. Sneaky Little Stover, trained by Team 7 Illusions and ridden to victory by A Beschizza, is a five year old gelding by Sneaky Little Pirate, and is out of Stoney Box. He was bred in California by Our Athletes as a yearling, and acquired by Team 7 Illusions, via Thinken Stable, with a $25.000 claim in April 2020. The win is his sixth in 25 starts and first stake win of any sort. His career earnings are now $227.080. Congratulations to all connections!

Track: Firm
Time: :23   :46   1:09   1:32³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 9 Paid 30.70, 9 – 2 Paid 45.60
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 9 – 3 Paid 203.60, 9 – 2 – 3 Paid 116.70

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES