Deep closer Ciunas makes it three in a row in the Overskate
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TORONTO, October 25, 2026— The in-form Ciunas, completed a natural hat trick and earned his first career stakes triumph, rallying late to win Sunday's $150,000 Overskate Stakes at Woodbine.
Ridden for the fifth straight start by Woodbine's leading rider Pietro Moran, the lightly raced grey/roan gelding settled kindly in seventh position as Paramount Prince and Hunt Master dueled vigorously up front, through an opening quarter mile in :21.91.
2026 Woodbine Turf Sprint Series star Ready to Collect chased in third, with Souped Up to his inside. Dark Screen raced fifth. Several lengths back, longshot Next Pitch was sixth, with Cianus and defending champion Rapid Test trailing the field, in the 7 1/2 inner turf route for Ontario-sired, three-year-olds and up.
2023 King's Plate winner Paramount Prince, seeking his first career turf victory, shook a half-length clear of Hunt Master, as the leader passed the half-mile marker in :44.83 over a course listed 'firm.'
Mid-turn, Ciunas was taken briefly back to last by Moran, as Ready to Collect converged on the tiring Paramount Prince. A furlong and a half from home, Ciunas, in the three-path, was advancing quickly into contention through six furlongs in 1:09.73.
Inside the eighth pole, the deep closing Ciunas, in his debut for new trainer Miguel Clement, gamely split Ready to Collect and Souped Up, kicking clear under strong handling by Moran, to win by 1 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:28.40. 14-1 shot Souped Up finished second. 12-1 shot Ready to Collect earned the show place and Rapid Test closed to finish fourth.
"Obviously a lot of pace on paper and it turned out that way," said Moran of the favourable set up.
"Just got a good trip in the first turn. And then I followed Souped Up and then he kind of led me to the top of the stretch and I had the horse to do it and push through, and I know he's a nice horse."
Ciunas kicked off his 4-year-old campaign in May, winning a 7-furlong main track race by three lengths. The son of Silent Name won his last two starts, both at a flat mile on the Woodbine inner turf course, pairing up 90 Beyer Speed Figures. Moran was up for all three wins, while Ciunas was under the care of former conditioner Rachel Halden.
"He's good on either, or, but obviously the turf," said Moran.
"He's got a very nice kick to it. He's a cool horse, very nice horse."
Unraced at two, Ciunas debuted at age three for original trainer, dual Hall of Famer Roger Attfield, winning his first two career starts. That precociousness earned the grey/roan a shot in the Breeders' Stakes, where he never fired, finishing last in the nine-horse field. Ciunas capped his three-year-old campaign rallying to just miss by a neck in the 1 1/16th mile Lake Ontario Stakes, before moving to Halden's barn for his 4-year-old campaign.
Bred in Ontario by Jeff Zlonis, Ciunas was a recent private purchase by Zlonis, Steven Bouchey, Madaket Stables LLC and Briles Family Stable and was supplemented into the Overskate, by the new connections.
Ciunas (Silent Name – Myrtle’s Grey, by Oratory) improved to 6-2-0 from 10 lifetime starts, while winning his fourth race in five starts in 2026. Originally listed at 9-5 on the morning line, the winner went off at 2-1 and paid $6.10 for the win.
Phil McSween, for Woodbine
