Toews on Ice guts out win in Bob Hope

Toews on Ice battled it out with Mac Daddy Mac nearly the entire way in Saturday’s $100,500 Bob Hope S. (G3) at Del Mar, and ended up inching away in the shadow of the wire to secure the win under jockey Martin Garcia.

Trained by Bob Baffert for Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Toews on Ice was sent off the 4-5 favorite and lived up to that status when finishing seven furlongs over the fast main track in 1:22.27.

Mac Daddy Mac got the jump on Toews on Ice when the gates opened, breaking on top and taking command through the opening quarter-mile in :22.84. Toews on Ice wasn’t far behind, though, rushing up to his inside and maintaining that rail spot down the backstretch while getting his head in front through fractions of :45.85 and 1:09.69.

Meanwhile, Jury pretty much ruined Dr. Dorr’s chances at the start when coming out and nearly forcing his rival in the 1 stall into the rail. Though Dr. Dorr straightened up, he found himself stuck between and behind horses.

Up front, Mac Daddy Mac and Toews on Ice continued duking it out until the wire, with Toews on Ice finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front on the line. I’malreadythere, who had tracked on the outside in third throughout, filled that spot 3 1/4 lengths up on Dr. Dorr while Street Vision, Jury and On Fire completed the order of finish.

Toews on Ice earned a stakes hat trick in the Bob Hope after romping by 4 1/4 lengths in the Speakeasy S. at Santa Anita Park on October 18 and earning his first score in the Barretts Juvenile S. at Los Alamitos by 7 1/2 lengths in late September. Prior to that the Archarcharch colt was third in a pair of Del Mar maidens.

Bred in Kentucky by Lakland Far, Toews on Ice is the first registered foal out of Grade 3-placed Wild Forest Cat and comes from the same female family as multiple Grade 1 winners Jostle and Ruhlmann.

Mac Daddy Mac (outside) and Toews on Ice (inside) - courtesy of Benoit Photos

BOB HOPE QUOTES

MARTIN GARCIA (Toews On Ice, winner)

“Tougher race for him today, but he responded. That other horse (Mac Daddy Mac) got in front of him in the stretch for a little bit, but he dug in and went and got him. Changed his leads perfectly.  He’s been a little green, but he did real well today. He’s a nice horse.”

GARY STEVENS (Mac Daddy Mac, second)

“Good effort for the colt; big race for him. He only had the one start and he gets stretched out from five and a half (furlongs) to seven. He responded well. He’s talented and he’s game. I know his people are happy with his effort. Good race.”

TYLER BAZE (I’malreadythere, third)

Good trip; good try. He wants more ground. Give him more ground and he’ll be in business.”

JIM BARNES, assistant to Bob Baffert (Toews On Ice, winner)

“You’re always worried when a horse gets headed like he did. But it looked like Martin (Garcia) was just cruising and he responded when he had to. He’d been doing this thing where he would switch leads if you hit him aggressively, so Martin had to ride him with a little more finesse and the horse changed on his own. Martin did a good job. You want to see a horse come back like he did. It was gratifying.”