James Street held off a fast-closing Stunning Stag to capture Saturday’s Grade 3, $161,200 Seagram Cup Stakes at Woodbine.
The four-year-old son of El Prado made his first appearance for trainer Josie Carroll a memorable one by notching his first added-money score.
Court of the Realm, who came into the Seagram Cup on a five-race winning streak, led the seven-horse field through slow fractions :25.19 and :50.32 with Hollinger stalking just off his right flank. James Street, racing wide down the backstretch under jockey Patrick Husbands, watched the proceedings from fifth position behind Southdale and a rail-riding Sand Cove.
Court of the Realm would lead the field into the far turn as Hollinger and James Street advanced to apply pressure, with James Street assuming command at the top of the stretch. Stunning Stag, who had raced from the back of the pack throughout, launched an all-out attack in the final sixteenth of a mile but could not get past James Street. Sand Cove would hold on for third, three-quarters of a length ahead of Hollinger. James Street covered a mile and a sixteenth in 1:44.01.
Husbands was happy to get first jump on his rallying rival Stunning Stag.
“We had a pretty slow half,” said Husbands. “I didn’t want Gerry (Olguin) to come and catch me sleeping, so I tried to get him going before he got there and he gave me 110 percent down the lane.”
Carroll was impressed with the performance of the Eugene Melnyk homebred, who boasts a record of four wins and two seconds from eight starts at the mile and a sixteenth distance of the Seagram Cup.
“Certainly, looking at his past performances it seemed to be what he wanted to do,” said Carroll of James Street’s preference for a route of ground. “He’s in very good order and relaxed very well today. I was very pleased to see that. I thought Patrick rode him extremely well.”
With the victory, James Street boosts his lifetime record to four wins, three seconds and one third from 13 lifetime starts.
He paid $12.90, $5.20, $3.50, combining with Stunning Stag ($4.60, $3.60) for a $45.80 (5-6) exactor. A 5-6-1 (Sand Cove, $5 to show) triactor was worth $232.
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