Tesseron took the lead in the point standings of the Woodbine Turf Endurance Series with a victory in the 1-1/2 mile second leg on Saturday afternoon.

Starting from the outside post 10, Tesseron and jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson followed outside mid-pack before sweeping up as the field moved into the stretch and hauling down race leader Royal Intrigue (Rafael Hernandez), who had led the field past the mile mark in 1:41.49. Tesseron was victorious in 2:30.86.

Sine Metu (Simon Husbands) rallied farther out from the backfield to take second-place over Royal Intrigue. Swellelegent (Guillermo Rodriguez) loomed outside the pacesetter throughout and finished fourth. Supreme Commander (Eurico Rosa Da Silva), the first leg runner-up, completed the top five finish order off a ground-saving trip.

A third-place finisher in the 1-3/8 mile opening leg of the series on July 22, Tesseron climbed to the top of the series leaderboard as round one winner Entwistle (Patrick Husbands), the 2-1 favourite, finished sixth. Tesseron now boasts 15 points in the series with a four-point lead over Entwistle.

Tesseron was claimed for $16,000 from his June 10 start at Woodbine by Kirk Sutherland and has hit the board in all three of his starts since for trainer Harold Ladouceur, including a win at 1-1/16 miles on June 23 over the Tapeta track.

Bred in Kentucky by Magalen Bryant, the seven-year-old Tapit-Cute Cognac gelding has won five of his 24 races lifetime and over $230,000 in purses.

The series will expand to 1-5/8 miles with a leg on September 23 and then 2-1/4 miles on October 22. The top point-earner at the end of the four-leg competition over Woodbine’s world-renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course will be crowned the Woodbine Turf Endurance Series Champion and receive a $15,000 bonus as well as a trophy honouring the accomplishment.

The Turf Endurance Series is open to any horse with preference given to horses with the most points. Horses earn points each race as follows: 1st = 10 points, 2nd = 7 points, 3rd = 5 points, 4th = 3 points, 5th = 2 points, all other entrants = 1 point. To follow along with the point standings, click here: http://www.woodbineentertainment.com/Woodbine/Pages/WB-Turf-Endurance-Series.aspx

Tesseron paid $16.70, $8.30 and $5.10, and combined with Sine Metu ($32, $12.80) for a 10-6 exactor worth $363.80. A 10-6-1 triactor (Royal Intrigue, $3.80) paid $1,807.15 and a $1 superfecta of 10-6-1-2 (Swellelegent) returned $5,977.95. Entwistle, Major Production, Party At Eight, and Forester’s Destiny completed the field. Teatoe was scratched.