Lafontaine, under a ground-saving trip from Steve Bahen, overtook favoured Heart to Heart in the final strides through the pouring rain to capture Sunday’s $128,500 Toronto Cup Stakes for three-year-olds, at Woodbine.
Trained by Liz Charalambous, the Cudney Stables homebred named for Sir Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, the first Canadian to become Prime Minister of the United Province of Canada, overcame 18-1 odds to earn his first stakes score.
“I’m very proud of this horse,” said Charalambous. “He’s really figured it out now and knows why he’s here and what we’re asking of him. The talent was always there, he just had to figure it out.”
Lafontaine arrived at the 1 1/8-miles turf tilt from a sharp pace-pressing maiden allowance score on June 28 over the same E.P. Taylor Turf Course.
Sent to post as the 8-5 favourite coming out of the Queen’s Plate, Heart to Heart led a six-horse field through splits of :24.06 and :47.34 with Lafontaine tracking along the rail from second position.
Heart to Heart, with Luis Contreras up, took a bunched-up field into the turn as Sly Tom and Florida Won were urged into contention, but it was the patient Bahen who guided Lafontaine off the rail and wore down the pacesetter in the final stride.
Lafontaine covered 1 1/8-miles in 1:48.86 over good going. Pumpkin Rumble rallied for place over Heart to Heart.
Charalambous was full of praise for the perfect trip engineered by Bahen.
“Steve rode him perfectly. I asked him to sit off the speed, which he did and I was just a little concerned that he might get stuck on the rail but things opened up for him and he exploded,” said Charalambous.
Lafontaine banked $75,000 in victory, improving his record to two wins from five starts.
He paid $38.70, $15.90 and $6, combining with Pumpkin Rumble ($10.70, $5) for a $217.70 (1-2) exactor. A 1-2-3 (Heart to Heart, $3.10) triactor was worth $548.60
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