Sam-Son Farm homebred Golden Sabre rallied last-to-first in track record time to capture Saturday’s Grade 3 $174,000 Durham Cup, at Woodbine.
Trained by Malcolm Pierce, the dark bay son of Medaglia d’Oro, piloted for the first time in the afternoon by Emma-Jayne Wilson, settled last of seven in the early running of the 1 1/8-mile ‘Poly’ stake before closing with a powerful kick late in the turn to swoop the field en route to a 2 1/2-length win. Golden Sabre stopped the clock in 1:48.33, besting the 1:48.66 recorded by filly Academic earlier this meet when taking the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser.
Midnight Aria, the 2013 Queen’s Plate champ, set the pace in the Durham Cup taking the field through splits of :24.71, :49.28 and 1:13.28 under mild pressure from Turkish. Are You Kidding Me, with Alan Garcia up, stalked the leaders along the rail from third position just in front of 2014 Durham Cup champ Lukes Alley.
Are You Kidding Me and Lukes Alley moved into contention as the field straightened away, but the patient Wilson, sitting on a ton of horse, kicked strongest of all to secure the win.
“I knew we’d have a little bit of pace to chase, so he just needed to settle and be where he’s happy,” said Wilson. “We got a nice stalking trip behind Lukes Alley, saved a little ground, and saved ourselves from the wind. Coming around the turn, I just had to tip him to the outside and kick. He’s got as powerful a kick as they come. You can see that in all his other races. He’s really strong to the wire.”
Golden Sabre defeated Durham Cup rival Melmich in his seasonal debut and followed up with a pair of second-place efforts in the Grade 2 Nijinsky and Grade 2 Sky Classic while going a distance of ground over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course. A return to ‘Poly’ and a clean trip worked perfectly for the five-year-old gelding in the Durham Cup.
“This horse deserves a win,” said Pierce. “He’s had some troubled trips and I’m glad to see he got it done today. He’s a pretty handy horse and he’s improved since he was gelded.”
Golden Sabre, bred in Ontario by his owner, banked $108,000 in victory while improving his record to 4-2-1 from 12 starts.
He paid $12.90, $4.70 and $3.30, combining with Lukes Alley ($3.40, $2.40) for a $40.70 (4-7) exactor. A 4-7-1 triactor (Are You Kidding Me, $3.40 to show) was worth $158.80, while a $1 Superfecta [4-7-1-2 (Melmich)] came back $246.10.
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