The curtain came down on the E.P. Taylor turf course for 2024 on Sunday at Woodbine with the final race on the surface, the 88th Cup & Saucer Stakes testing Canadian-bred two-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles around one turn.
Despite maiden winner Faber being installed the 5-to-2 morning line favourite (he went off at 10-to-1), the race seemed to be between Simcoe Stakes winner SCORCHING (Mo Town) with Patrick Husbands and Bull Page Stakes winner DEWOLF (Silent Name (Jpn)) before the gates opened and Dewolf, with Rafael Hernandez riding for trainer Kevin Attard, was made the 2-to-1 favourite over Scorching who was 5-to-2.
Speedster Kokomo cleared the field early over the ‘good’ turf and was going at a good clip of 23.26 and 46.57. Scorching, trained by John Charalambous for owners Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch, was sitting a nice trip on the inside while a host of Mark Casse/Gary Barber juveniles, including maiden winner Ashley’s Archer, followed. Dewolf was also getting a smart trip, just off the pace and in the three-path.
Into the stretch, Husbands allowed Scorching to glide up the inside and with reaching strides, the bay colt appeared to be on his way to victory. Dewolf moved wide to challenge and Ashley’s Archer, co-owned by Archer Stable, under Sofia Vives had angled out to split horses but in the process, cut off the filly Ready for Candy.
Ashley’s Archer (Karakontie (Jpn)) rallied hard and got up for a nose victory but it wasn’t long before the inquiry sign went up. A few minutes later, Ashley’s Archer was disqualified and placed fifth behind Ready for Candy.
The final time was 1:42.69 for an 80 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form.
“The last six or seven strides he was on the wobbly side,” said Husbands. “With these babies you have to be patient but I had no choice to [move to the lead in early stretch].”
Charalambous, a career winner of over 540 races including a dozen stakes races, sent Scorching out to be second in his debut to the impressive Cut the Dust. Scorching then won his maiden in the Simcoe Stakes by five lengths with an 80 Beyer Figure.
“This is special,” said Charalambous. “I can’t wait for the next step.”
The next step for Scorching, who was bred by Dan Mooney’s Huntington Stud Farm in Nashville, ON, will be in the Coronation Futurity at the end of November.
Scorching was one of 2023’s most expensive yearlings in Canada at $120,000. He is by Mo Town, a son of Uncle Mo who won the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at nine furlongs on turf and the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes on dirt at nine furlongs as a juvenile.
Scorching’s dam, SAMSAL, a Kentucky-bred by Consolidator, won three of 16 races and raced for Kelynack Stables for half of her career. Samsal was originally a $50,000 yearling purchase by Kelynack.
Mooney bought Samsal in foal to Fort Larned for $18,000 from the Keeneland November sale in 2014. That foal was winner Hoochiecoochie Sam. Samsal produced Northern Thunder in 2017 (nine wins, $196,000), Keep Grinding in 2018 (two wins, $209,000) and Charlotte’s Silver in 2019 (three wins, $59,000).
Braverman and Pinch, through agent Reade Baker, purchased the yearling from the mare for $45,000 from the August CTHS Ontario yearling sale. Named Defiantly, the filly is by Take Charge Indy.
Second dam Willow Rush (Wild Rush), was bred by Adena Springs and she won the 1 1/16 miles E B Johnson Stakes on dirt at Fairplex in 2005. She produced stakes-placed sprinter Stormy Rush who won 11 races and over $488,000.
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