by Jeff Apel

Grand Adventure gained command in early stretch seven wide and turned back Skipadate in the closing strides to prevail by a head in the $281,016 Summer Stakes (Can-G3) on Saturday at Woodbine.

The win earned unbeaten Grand Adventure a starting spot in the $1-million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on October 25 at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series.

Trained by Mark Frostad for owner Sam-Son Farms, Grand Adventure entered off a 3 1/4-length debut win in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race on August 30 at Woodbine.

Grand Adventure was positioned two wide at the start of the Summer Stakes by jockey Eurico Da Silva and raced in fifth after a half-mile in :47.30 and six furlongs in 1:11.71. Rallying on the turn, the Grand Slam colt opened a half-length lead in early stretch against Skipadate.

Digging in with determination in the closing strides, Grand Adventure held off Skipadate’s late charge and won the one-mile race in 1:35.86 on firm turf.

Skipadate finished five lengths clear of third-place finisher Star of David. Utterly Cool, the 0.95-to-1 favorite who won his previous two starts at Woodbine by a combined 12 1/2 lengths, finished fourth in a field of eight.

Grand Adventure increased his earnings to $200,358. Bred in Kentucky by Gulf Coast Farms, Grand Adventure is the first starter out of the unraced Coronado’s Quest mare Val Marie.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor