Northern Afleet’s 4-year-old son Kaigun collected his first career stakes win in the Grade 2, $224,800 Play the King S. Sunday afternoon at Woodbine with a furious stretch run to hit the wire a three-quarter length winner.
International sire Northern Afleet now has 17 stakes winners worldwide, including five graded winners.
With plenty of early speed in the seven furlong contest, Kaigun was well off the torrid pace of :44.59 for the half-mile. With no room on the inside in the stretch, Phil Husband swung Kaigun four wide to take aim on the leaders. The chestnut gobbled up the ground to secure the victory in 1:20.71 on the firm turf.
“Looking at the form, there was definitely a lot speed in the race,” Husbands said. “Leaving the gate I wanted to get down to the rail and then at the eighth pole, get out. It worked out perfectly.”
Kaigun, who was second in the Grade 1 Manhattan S. in June, now has career earnings of $547,860 for the partnership of Quintessential Racing Florida LLC, Horse’n Around Racing Stable and Gary Barber.