July 14, 2009

Rancho Ruler was made the 6-5 favourite in the Queens Plate Stakes three weeks ago and did not disappoint against five rivals and when only three rivals lined up against him for the Prince Of Wales Stakes on Sunday, he did not even flinch and wired the field by double-digits as the mammoth 1-9 chalk.  Facing state-bred allowance winners for a purse of $500.000, the son of Ladera Ranch was on his own for much of the race and ended up finishing off the 1 3/16 mile distance in a sparkling 1:54.27, a new track record at FE by more than a full second.  With the win, his fourth in seven lifetime starts, he pushed past $1000.000 in career receipts and set himself up for a run at the Canadian TC at WO in the $500.000 Breeders Stakes on turf.

The field of four in the Prince Of Wales broke beautifully from the gate and no one really wanted the lead, leaving longshot Blue Suede Shoes (55.15) to set the pace in the opening furlong before Rancho Ruler (*0.05), bet down to a ridiculous 1-9 after his Queens Plate Stakes victory, asserted his command along the rail.  Clear of trouble going into the first turn and virtually unchallenged, jockey R J Albarado was allowed to settle his charge into a comfortable stride and set a very modest clip of 49.11 for the opening half-mile.  By that point, the lead had been increased to more than three-lengths and with class and potential on his side, Rancho Ruler simply strolled through six-furlongs in 1:13.00 while amassing a five-length lead and was guaranteed to only increase through the final 3.5-furlongs.  Stablemate Out To Kill (6.80) was the only rival hanging onto a brief glimpse of the leader around the far turn and actually ended up holding his own quite well through the latter stages but in the end, it was the Rancho Ruler show and through one-mile in a blistering 1:36.64, he was long gone and a definite contender for a sweep of the Canadian TC.  Under no more than a hand ride, he streaked to the line and finished ten-lengths clear of his rivals in a new track record time of 1:54.27, nearly a second and a half better than the previous stakes mark taken in 2006, and while Out To Kill was well-clear in second as expected, Blue Suede Shoes and Limp Bizkit (49.65) were nowhere to be found while beaten nearly 20-lengths for all the marbles.

After watching Rancho Ruler win both the Queens Plate Stakes and the Prince Of Wales here, it is difficult to imagine that two horses actually beat him at LS and while those two have not done much in the interim, this colt has simply ran off his feet and established himself as one of the best in his division.  With turf breeding throughout his pedigree and really no challengers in the ON-bred turf ranks, this colt could have an easy time of it in the Breeders Stakes as he continues to march to the upper echelon of racing under the tutelage of one of the best.

Congratulations go out to Australia Wide and their three-year-old colt Rancho Ruler, a thoroughly impressive winner of the Prince Of Wales Stakes at FE!

Prediction                         Rancho Ruler / Out To Kill / Limp Bizkit

Winner                              Rancho Ruler

                                            Three-year-old bay colt

                                            Ladera Ranch-Vera Wang (Escape The Wind)

Owner                                Australia Wide

Time                                   49.11, 1:13.00, 1:36.54, 1:54.27 (NEW TRACK RECORD)

Overall

Rancho Ruler                   *0.05      took control, easiest of winners

Out To Kill                        6.80        tracked along rail, clearly second

Blue Suede Shoes            55.15      brief speed, stopped

Limp Bizkit                       49.65      no factor