NEWS
James Street rallies for Seagram Cup victory
Posted: Saturday, August 06, 2011 6:58 PM
JAMES STREET
Michael Burns/WEG photo
For video of the Seagram Cup Stakes, click here.
by Ron Parker
Melnyk Racing Stable’s homebred James Street surged between horses to secure his first career stakes victory in the $164,161 Seagram Cup Stakes (Can-G3) at Woodbine on Saturday.
The four-year-old El Prado (Ire) colt settled in fifth early before moving up to third as 1.05-to-1 favorite Court of the Realm dictated the pace and set relatively soft fractions of :25.19 and :50.32 for the first half-mile of the 1 1/16-mile race.
Despite the easy fractions, it was not an uncontested lead for Court of the Realm, who was pressed by Hollinger. When the field entered the stretch, the favorite had no response to multiple challengers.
James Street was angled wide by Patrick Husbands for a clear path between horses and secured a one-length lead in deep stretch. The bay colt held off a late surge from Stunning Stag to post a head victory on Woodbine’s synthetic Polytrack surface, completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.01.
The Seagram Cup was the second start in a stakes race for James Street, who finished second to Don Cavallo in the Dominion Day Stakes (Can-G3) at Woodbine on July 1 when trained by Mark Casse. The Seagram Cup victory is the first start for James Street under the guidance of trainer Josie Carroll.
The Kentucky-bred, out of the winning Unbridled mare Alleynedale, has earned $275,045 with four wins from 13 starts.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Ron Parker is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
