NEWS: RACING

International Star lives up to his name in Woodbine’s Grade 3 Grey

Monday, October 6th, 2014
Michael Burns

Michael Burns

By Sarah Mace

New York-bred International Star (Fusaichi Pegasus) lived up to his name on Sunday afternoon, shipping across the border to compete in Woodbine’s $156,300 Grade 3 Grey Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds on Polytrack, and coming away a winner. As part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series The Grey Stakes offered 10 points to the winner toward a berth for the “Run for the Roses.”

Trained by Mike Maker for Ken and Sarah Ramsey and supplemented to the race, International Star was making his first start since finishing second in the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes going the same distance on turf at Saratoga on August 28. In two prior starts he had not finished worse than second, winning his debut handily at Belmont on June 21 and chasing a lightning-fast Bustin It around the track in the Rockville Center on July 13. In the With Anticipation he encountered traffic in upper stretch.

After breaking from his inside post, International Star (5-2 second choice) settled in sixth in the early going under Rafael Hernandez, saving ground around the clubhouse turn as Imperial Dream, destined to fade to last, led the field through splits of :24.63 and :49.01.

Michael Burns

Michael Burns

Late along the backstretch run and rounding the far turn, the bay colt began to weave his way toward the front, passing several rivals before angling out at the top of the lane and beginning his bid in earnest. Responding to urging, International Star began to rally by the rest, gaining the lead just past the sixteenth marker and drawing off to a 1 1/4-length victory. Favorite Conquest Tycoon finished second, followed across the line by longshot Hollywood Critic. [VIDEO]

Hernandez, aboard International Star for the first time, said, “He broke well and then started laying back into the first turn. We saved ground all the way and turning for home, I decided to take him outside. Once we got clear he was rolling. I had plenty of horse.”

International Star, who has earned $190,028 from two wins and two seconds in four career starts, was bred by Katharine M. Voss and Robert T. Manfuso and purchased by the Ramseys as a yearling for $85,000 out of the Fasig Tipton select yearling sale in September in Timonium. His dam is Parlez, a multiple winner by French Deputy who has produced five winners in all, including stakes winner Fools in Love by Not For Love.

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