Strike On Command, after a slightly tardy beginning from the stand start, quickly recovered to justify his hot $1.40 win quote, second-up for the Mark Jones stable, at Forbury on June 28.
The promising 2YO McArdle colt took a few strides to click into a pace but then had no problems in accounting for the six-horse maiden field.
Light driver Ricky May found a perfect trail on the outer over the final lap and the colt proved adept in the wet condtions, striding clear of pacemaking second favourite Beaudiene Clementyne (Dexter Dunn) in the closing stages.
Strike On Command, shown easing down after a recent Motukarara workout, was successful second-up at Forbury on Friday night.
Strike On Command had too much speed when angled into the clear, zipping home to win the Washington VC Pace by 1 1/4 lengths.
He paced the 2200m (stand) in a comfortable 2:53.8, the leaders quickening over their last 800m in 59.4s and closing 400m in 28.1s.
Strike On Command, raced by Australian owner Kevin Stanley, is the first foal from good-winning mare Noble Strike (1:56.8h, US), who numbered a PGG NZ Yearling Sales 2YO Fillies South Island Graduette win and a Nevele R Fillie Heat among her two NZ wins for Ian and Malcolm Shinn.
The OK Bye-TK Swift mare proved a consistent winner in North America, notching another 15 wins, earning the equivalent of $149,602.
She is a half-sister to other big USA winners in Time Flies (1:52, US; 36 wins incl. 32 in the US for $624,230 career winnings) and Ultimate Pursuit (1:51.6, US, 44 wins incl. 38 in the US).
Time Flies is the dam of former Overport Lodge 2YO winner Glenferrie Magic (1:59.1, 1700m), who showed much potential winning once from three starts before having her race career cut short.
Strike On Command belongs to the same family as other big winners _ Slybye (1:52.4, US, 31 wins in NZ, Aust & the US), El Cabalero (1:54.4, US, 17 wins incl. 12 in the US), Algranco Alive (1:56.2 mile rate, 1650m, 10 Aust. wins) and Flak Jacket (1:54, US, a former NZ Kindergarten Stakes winner at two, 12 wins in NZ, Aust. and the US).
He credited Mark Jones with his 37th training for the season, the now having won $304,275 in the 2012-13 season.