Kent Stakes (Grade 3)- $200.000 Purse
DEL- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
July 2, 2022

This April, Wood Duck Stables moved Letters By The Bay back to the turf, a surface he only had one career start on, a race he had won. It has certainly proven to be the right decision, as this horse is now a perfect 4-for-4 while running on the grass. I’d imagine it will be a long time or an unexpected change of form before we ever see him on the main track again! With the victory, Wood Duck Stables becomes a first-time winner of the Kent Stakes, and jockey Jo Ruiz does the same on that side of things. Congratulations to them! The time of the win, on the turf course listed as good, was 1:47.01. Here’s a look at it!

(½ Mile- :47.37)- Neds Influence, saddled by The Sidley Stud is the early leader of the race, showing the way down the frontstretch the first time and around the opening turn. They are in a single file line behind him, with Angel Code, a length and a half back for Smokey Stover. Arindel’s Just A Horse is third, running four lengths of the lead, and running behind him is the eventual winner, Letters By The Bay, for Wood Duck Stables. After about four more lengths, Cascade King (Nakamura Stables) is at the back.

(3/4 Mile- 1:10.99)- Down the backstretch, Neds Influence continues to be the leader, and with the same length and a half cushion on Angel Code. We have a new third place horse, however, as Letters By The Bay moves to the outside of Just A Horse and completes the pass prior to entering the turn. His gap to the leader is still four lengths. Cascade King was still four more lengths behind.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- The turf star, Letters By The Bay, handles the turn very well, and looks to make a three wide move for the lead. He’s still third for now, but it seems inevitable at this point that he would take over the top spot. Angel Code had also gained ground on Neds Influence, who still led by a head. Just A Horse needed to have the same response, and at the back, Cascade King had shown nothing.

(Finish- 1:47.01)- Letters By The Bay takes the lead early in the stretch, and has plenty left in the tank to pull away from all of his rivals, comfortably winning this race by three lengths. Neds Influence is a distant second, then Angel Code, who surprisingly never got around that one. Just A Horse and Cascade King were non factors.

About The Winner- Letters By The Bay, trained by Wood Duck Stables and ridden to victory by Jo Ruiz, is a three year old colt by Chai Bay and is out of Letters From Niner. He was bred in Ontario as a first quarter two year old by Serenity Stables, and acquired by Wood Duck Stables in private sales for $250.000 in August 2021. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his fourth in eight starts, and his first stake win of any type. His career earnings are now $289.440.

Track: Good
Time: :47¹  1:10⁴  1:35¹  1:47

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 3 Paid 25.40
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 3 – 5 Paid 57.50

Scratched: Crazy Ivan

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES