The 114th Durham Cup at Woodbine on September 28 was supposed to be another walk in the park for reigning three-year-old male champion PARAMOUNT PRINCE, who had just four rivals in the 1 1/16 mile Tapeta tilt. The son of Society’s Chairman was coming in from two straight front-running stakes wins over his rival Stanley House, who was in the Durham for another try. The field was completed by recent turf winner Rapid Test, the lightly-raced three-year-old DRESDEN ROW (Lord Nelson) and the tough old-timer Ron’s Gizmo, who had been supplemented to the race.
At 1-to-5 in the morning line odds, Paramount Prince with jockey Patrick Husbands looked his usual peppy and happy self pre-race. Meanwhile, Dresden Row, who reared up in the paddock and lost his bridle, got quite sweaty for trainer Lorne Richards and jockey Ryan Munger.
From the start, Paramount Prince assumed his position on the lead but Emma-Jayne Wilson aboard Rapid Test was not letting the champ get away with his usual 48, 49 half-time fractions. Instead, he zipped along in 23.79 and 47.49 with Rapid Test breathing down his neck. Around the turn for home, the other three runners began to close in and it was surprising to see that Paramount Prince was in trouble.
Dresden Row, Ron’s Gizmo and Stanley House all flew around the leaders wide with Dresden Row and Ron’s Gizmo battling to the wire. At the finish, Dresden Row, at 10-to-1, had won his first stakes race by a head in a sizzling 1:42.04. Paramount Prince faded to last, some 7 lengths behind the winner.
“I planned my race, and the way the race worked out was my best-case scenario, luckily, and it just worked out so perfect,” said Munger. “You know, horse (Rapid Test) went and challenged Paramount Prince in front, and I just tracked them along the whole way. At the three-eighths pole, I got him back onto the bridle. I could feel he was traveling good, and I knew he was going to run hard to the line, whatever caught him must be very good. He fought the whole way, and this is the sort of run I was expecting from him. He’s a talented individual.”
Dresden Row has won four of seven races and over $194,000.
Dresden Row was bred in Kentucky by TCR Ranch and was originally just an $11,000 short yearling purchase from the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale in 2022. He was then bought by Keith Johns’ True North Stable for $70,000 from the 2023 April Ocala Two-Year-Olds in Training sale. The chestnut colt attracted a co-owner soon after, in Bloom Racing Stable of American Jeffrey Bloom.
Dresden Row is from the Giant’s Causeway Mare Elle Special, a three-time winner in 18 races. The mare has produced three other named foals including Hopeful Treasure, winner of the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap.
Dresden Row’s second family Peinture Ancienne is a half-sister to 1997 French Derby (G1) and Prix de l’Arc de Triopmhe winner PEINTRE CELEBRE (also a flashy chestnut like Dresden Row).
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It seems as if computer-assisted wagering played havoc with the betting on at least the Durham Cup at Woodbine Saturday.
While he didn’t win, Ron’s Gizmo gave his fans and trainer Ron Sadler a thrill with a big effort from well off the pace. Plenty of people bet the seven-year-old gelding who figured to go off at 4-to-5 or 1 (at the lowest). In fact, as Paramount Prince went into the gate, Ron’s Gizmo was still 5-to-1. At the wire, he was a paltry 2-t-1:
Odds intervals: Morning line odds of 8-to-1.
8 – 13 – 9 – 9 -8 – 8 – 7 – 5 (0 minutes to post) – 5 (last horse goes into gate) – 9/2 – 2 (final).
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Colin Davis’ APRICOT VALLEY THOROUGHBREDS bred its first winner when NATA TROUBLE won her maiden in a maiden special weight, race 4, on Saturday. The two-year-old filly, making her second career start for Tequesta Racing, Inc. and MACS Stables, won a prolonged pace battle with favoured Periwinkle and drew off to take the $95,000 race at 7 furlongs on Tapeta. Nata Trouble is the first foal to race of the mare Renata (Medaglia d’Oro), who was bought by Davis for $90,000 at the Keeneland November sale in 2021 carrying the winner who is by World of Trouble. Nata Trouble brought just $2,213 US at the CTHS Ontario sale last year but the breeders’ award from her maiden win will pad that amount.
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One race was contested over the E.P. Taylor turf course, race 2 which is the first leg of the Pick 5, before the other two Taylor course races were taken off the turf.
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