Arresting performance? Perfect Crime back to defend Overskate Stakes title
TORONTO, October 24, 2024 – Perfect Crime, trained by Patrick Dixon for Colebrook Farms, faces six rivals in Sunday’s $100,000 Overskate Stakes, a 7 ½-furlong inner turf tilt for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds and up, at Woodbine.
The 6-year-old son of Old Forester out of the Curlin mare That’s Our Princess took last year’s edition of the Overskate by 1 ¾ lengths at 9-1.
It was the first stakes score for the hard-knocking veteran who will make the 41st start of his career this weekend.
“I was so confident going into the race,” said Dixon, of the victory that also marked his first stakes triumph. “He was on-point, and I had a very good feeling when we walked him over from the backstretch. I just thought the entire situation was working out perfectly.”
In seven starts since the milestone moment, Perfect Crime has gone winless, but has posted a pair of thirds, including last time out, on Sept. 29, in a seven-furlong race over good going on the E.P. Taylor turf.
“He ran against very good horses in War Strategy and Boston Tea Party (first and second, respectively) – two pretty tough guys – and he had a very nice race,” praised Dixon. “I think he’s leading up to a big race this time around.”
Dixon, who sent out 2-year-old Thundering to win the Display Stakes on Oct. 13, expects the bay gelding to be on top of his game in this year’s running of the Overskate.
“It’s nearly a carbon copy,” said Dixon. “He was third in the race before he won the Overskate last year and he was third in his last race before this one. It just seems like he’s coming into it in the same form.”
Perfect Crime has also had a knack for running well in the latter stages of the Woodbine meet.
“When he was a 2-year-old, he broke his maiden on the snowiest day of the year,” recalled Dixon. “He likes the cooler weather – he seems to be doing better now.”
Perfect Crime, bred by the late Gustav Schickedanz, has also shown a propensity for performing well on the Toronto oval’s inner turf throughout his career.
“He’s doing well, and he really loves that course,” said Dixon. “I haven’t had a real chance to stretch him out this year and it will feel like a longer race to him on the inner turf. I think that’s what he wants to do, stretch out a little bit, get his feet underneath him and come with a run. I’d like to see him a little closer this time, depending on how the speed sets up.”
The veteran campaigner continues to be a handful on and off the racetrack for the Dixon barn.
“He’s tough. He’s strong, he’s a fighter. He likes to do whatever he wants to do. I guess you could say he’s a criminal. I work him myself, and he does what he likes to do. It’s kind of funny, but that is the key in keeping him happy.”
Denzil McKenzie is the groom.
His rivals include 2021 Grade 1 Woodbine Mile winner Town Cruise, multiple stakes winner and 2022 Overskate victor Dun Drum, and last year’s Elgin Stakes winner Rapid Test.
First post is at 1:10 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and bet365.
Field for the Overskate Stakes (Race 9)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Society’s Thunder (S) – Steve Jadoo – Dominic Polsinelli
2 – Perfect Crime – Jose Campos – Patrick Dixon
3 – Town Cruise – Eswan Flores – Brandon Greer
4 – Rapid Test – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Catherine Day Phillips
5 – Dun Drum – Fraser Aebly – Ian Black
6 – Hunt Master – Jeffrey Alderson – Angus Buntain
7 – Awesome Bourbon – Sahin Civaci – Jose Francisco D’Angelo
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
