TORONTO, October 13, 2024 – Thundering, the longest shot on the board at 10-1, stormed home to take the seven-furlong $125,000 Display Stakes, for 2-year-olds, Sunday at Woodbine.

First-time starter War of Destiny went straight to the front in the six-horse field followed by Mansetti, He’s Not Joking, and Thundering, who was off a step slowly, as the leader carved out an opening quarter in a modest :24.07.

Mansetti, who won his debut, then took over the lead just ahead of the half in :47.17, as Eswan Flores, aboard Thundering, waited for the right moment to pounce on the frontrunners from in between rivals.

That decision came around the turn for home when Flores called on the bay gelding for his best run and the Patrick Dixon trainee responded with a lightning-quick turn of foot to confidently seize control in upper stretch.

Others, including eventual runner-up and fellow Maryland-bred Bucaro, and He’s Not Joking, who slotted in third, attempted to reel in Thundering down the lane, but the maiden-breaking winner was never seriously threatened, crossing the wire 1 ¼ lengths on top.

The final time was 1:23.64.  

“We talked in the morning, me and Pat [Dixon], and that was kind of the scenario we thought it was going to follow, just try to be as close as possible to the pace, and the pace wasn’t too fast,” said Flores. “So, we were right there and just waiting for the time to let him go.

“So, I wasn’t too impatient. I was just waiting for the right time. I didn’t want to get him up in the front by himself too early. I was just waiting as long as possible.”

Thundering debuted on Sept. 15 at Woodbine.

Sent off at 6-1 in the seven-furlong maiden special weight race, he settled outside along the backstretch, was four to five wide on the turn, and then advanced to be six-deep at the head of the lane. Despite drifting in down the stretch, Thundering netted the show award, 3 ¼ lengths behind the winner.

“We always really liked this horse from the very first time I got him,” said Dixon, who trains for owner and breeder Dastur Racing. “We nominated him for the stake because we liked him so much. So, we said, ‘Okay, well, let’s give him a try.’

“He always has to do something once before he figures it out, and he just takes a little bit of time. Coming out of that first race, he was like a bear. He just turned into a complete racehorse.”

Sired by Mosler out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Keep Right, Thundering paid $23.90 for Sunday’s milestone win.

Chris Lomon, Woodbine

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