Canaco Nukes spoils party

Thursday night’s featured $7,000 condition pace was billed as a battle between Illinois Bred sophomore star Pujols and recent free-for-aller Falcatraz. Canaco Nukes failed to read the billboard and romped home by 8 lengths for his second consecutive victory, both registered on a sloppy track.

Pujols, the 3-year-old gelded son of Cole Muffler, was making his second start of the season after a disappointing seventh-place effort in an $18,000 ISOBA Stakes at Balmoral April 22. Trained by Tom Harmer, Pujols won 6 of 11 starts as a freshman in 2005, banking $159,650.

Falcatraz has won 4 of 13 starts in 2006, earning more than $31,000 and has been a regular combatant in the Free For All class at Balmoral in recent weeks.

The wagering public saw the race as a close battle between these two as Pujols was sent postward as the 7-5 favorite and Falcatraz earned nearly identical favoritism as the 8-5 second choice.

Dale Hiteman set Falcatraz right to the top and when Robin Of Locksley made a bobble just past the quarter pole, Pujols inherited the two-hole.

Falcatraz cut out panels of :28.1, :56.2 and 1:25.2 and opened up a 2 1/4-length lead in the stretch as Pujols struggled to keep up. It was just at that point that Falcatraz appeared to be getting a little leg weary.

However, Ron Marsh had plenty of pace with Canaco Nukes, as they sat comfortably in 4th and when Marsh asked for a response, the son of No Nukes, who was sent off at 5-1, responded as they pulled away from the field in the 1:55.2 mile. Storybook Legend finished second, while the marquee pair of Pujols and Falcatraz settled for third and fourth, respectively some 9 1/2 lengths behind the winner.

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