Take Charge Tom flourished over the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby at Century Mile on Saturday night, when he shuttled home by 5 3/4 lengths, giving his trainer, Robertino Diodoro, a fifth win in the race.
Accidental Genius finished second, while it was another head back in third to Attack.
It was the 96th running of the Canadian Derby and it was showcased on a 12-race card that featured four stakes.
Take Charge Tom ($5.90) stumbled at the start and settled off leader Pioneer Storm King, who set pressured fractions of 23.17 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.38 for the half-mile, 1:11.93 for six furlongs and 1:37.87 for a mile. Take Charge Tom then moved to the fore and separated himself from the field, while covering the distance on a fast track in 2:03.99.
Rasheed Hughes was aboard for Diodoro.
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The trainer first won the Canadian Derby in 2013 with Broadway Empire. He took the race again in 2014 with Edison, in 2018 with eventual Sovereign Award winner Sky Promise and in 2022 with Great Escape.
Take Charge Tom earlier this month had finished first in the Manitoba Derby at Assiniboia Downs, but was disqualified for interference. Attack was placed first, and returned in the Canadian Derby.
Take Charge Tom is a son of Tom’s d’Etat who has now won five stakes for his breeder and owner Randy Howg.
Take Charge Tom has now won six of nine career starts for earnings of $334,724.
In other stakes, Welcometohollywood ($16.70) held off No Rejoyce for a three-quarter-length victory in the $100,000 Century Casino Oaks. The winner covered 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:52.03.
Antonio Whitehall was aboard for trainer Jared Brown, who co-owns Welcometohollywood with John Ganas.
Welcometohollywood is a daughter of Omaha Beach and she was winning her third straight stakes in the Century Casino Oaks. She came into the race off a more than 15-length win in the Manitoba Oaks and prior to that won the Jack Hardy Stakes.
Trainer Barbara Heads had a stakes double on the card, with At Attention in the $100,000 Speed to Spare and Avana in the $75,000 Northlands Distaff Handicap.
At Attention ($8.50) won the Speed to Spare by 1 1/4 lengths over Al Reichert. August Rain, who was the 4-5 favorite, finished fourth. The winner covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.64. Antonio Reyes was aboard for Bryan and Carol Anderson, who bred and own At Attention. At Attention won his eighth stakes and overall is 13 for 44 for earnings of $454,595.
Avana ($3.30) powered to a 1 3/4-length win over 127-pound highweight Big Hug in the Northlands Distaff Handicap. Avana was weighted at 126. The winner covered one mile and 70 cards for fillies and mares in 1:40.45. Amadeo Perez was aboard the daughter of Vino Rosso for Peter Redekop. Avana is now 10 for 13 – including eight stakes wins – for earnings of $240,324.
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