Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Lightly-raced WA-bred mare Wave Rebellion put up a remarkable performance to win the $21,000 Pick Your Name Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night when she came from a virtually impossible position.
“That was the widest I have ever been to win a race,” said admiring trainer-reinsman Stuart McDonald, who is contemplating a major rise in class by setting the four-year-old against the State’s best mares in next Friday night’s $50,000 WASBA Breeders Stakes.
Wave Rebellion, the $2.10 favourite from the No. 6 barrier, settled at the rear and was in last position passing the 400m post before being switched out seven wide and sprinting fast in the home straight to score an easy win, beating $31 outsider Blitzar by almost a length.
“About ten times in the race I was about to lose my cool (and take off),” said McDonald. “She had no luck at all from the thousand (metres) onwards. I was thinking about going to the inside, but nothing was working, so I just went to the outside and she finished strongly.
“On the corner (home turn) I thought that if she would finish fourth or fifth, I’d be pretty happy. If she ran in the top four it would have been a massive effort.
“Wave Rebellion has plenty of ability, but she has an issue with her palate. She can flip her palate, so we will never be able to use her out of the gate. She always has to go back and sit up. The worst draw will be barrier one.
“She has had surgery which didn’t really work and if she keeps showing what she is showing maybe we will try again. We have put some gear on which is helping. She is not overly tough but is fast.
“I will be putting her in the open event for mares next week when she will be way out of grade. But if she gets a start, it would be good for her to go back and sit, and she has got a good finishing turn of foot and could finish in the first half dozen.”
Wave Rebellion is by American sire Betting Line and is the third foal out of Parsons Den mare Mizuno, a handy performer who raced 74 times for nine wins, 19 placings and $70,597 in stakes.
Wave Rebellion, bred and owned by Matt Young and his wife Kayla, has earned $46,094.
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