William T springs late upset in Durham Cup
Supplemented William T surged late to upset heavy favourite Maycocks Bay and score his first career stakes’ win in the $175,000 Grade 3 Durham Cup at Woodbine.
Ridden by regular pilot Fraser Aebly, William T settled inside in third position as the field of five made their way around the clubhouse turn, through an opening quarter mile in :23.57.
In late May, Maycocks Bay, the Godolphin LLC-owned son of Speightstown got an easy lead and wired a field of seven with Sofia Vives up to win the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes at the Toronto oval. On Saturday, Woodbine’s leading rider Pietro Moran was aboard the five-year-old chestnut gelding, and the pair set the pace through a half mile in :47.86 and three-quarter mile time of 1:11.71, while being pressured from close range by 2025 King’s Plate Trial winner Sedburys Ghost.
Inside the three-sixteenths pole, Aebly and William T moved into second along the rail, getting first run on the favourite. A furlong out, Aebly and the Don MacRae-trained son of Frosted, angled off the fence, taking dead aim at Maycocks Bay, collaring the leader in the final yards to win by a well measured half-length.
The final running time in the one mile and one-sixteenth main track test for three-year-olds and upward was 1:42.54. The mile split was 1:35.95.
“This horse is a fighter,” said Aebly, who has now ridden the grey/roan in nine of his eleven career starts and been aboard for all three wins.
“He digs in every time I ride. I mean, he just fights for you every time.”
William T opened his four-year-old campaign with four straight runner up placings while sprinting. Out of the Hard Spun mare Upper Brass, the grey/roan broke through last out when stretching out to a one mile and one-sixteenth main track route, airing by 5 1/4 lengths under Aebly.
The decision by MacRae to supplement to the Grade 3 Durham, came from a close friend and peer. “I’d like to thank Kevin Attard for pointing me in the direction, the man, the myth, the legend himself,” said MacRae, who himself is enjoying another productive season at Woodbine.
“We knew who was going in here. It was going to be a small field. We take a shot, but I thought it could be third or second for sure. But when he angled out, everyone up there was screaming for us. So it was a good time for sure.”
Bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms Inc and owned by Michael Lay, William T broke his maiden in July 2025 airing by six lengths in a local two turn route, which earned him a shot against winners in the King’s Plate, where he finished eighth and then was given some time off.
“There was a bit of jostling into the first turn [in the King’s Plate], explained MacRae. “He whacked his sesamoid, the bone on the inside of his ankle, and he came back, and it was blown up. And I got back to the barn. I was in tears,” said the conditioner, who credited his veterinarian for the gelding’s recovery.
“I thought he was done. Kudos to Candace Allen and the team. They worked on him on that. He just needs that time off to grow up.”
A $45,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, William T won his second consecutive route race, improving to 3-5-2 from 11 lifetime starts. It was also his third win in four career starts at the distance.
William T was listed at 3-1 morning line, left the gate at 7-2 and returned $9.70 for the win. Maycocks Bay finished second. Sedburys Ghost was third and War Court was fourth.
Epic Style and jockey Pietro Moran winning the Sweet Briar Too Stakes. (Michael Burns Photo)
Epic Style closes the deal in Sweet Briar Too
Maryland shipper Epic Style fashioned a superb off-the-pace rally, earning her first career stakes win in Saturday’s $125,000 Sweet Briar Too Stakes at Woodbine.
As expected, recent Grade 2 Highlander Stakes winner Miss Vyvyanne broke sharply and set the early fractions versus the field of seven, in the six-furlong E.P. Taylor Turf sprint for fillies and mares three-year-olds and up.
Miss Vyvyanne, with Emma-Jayne Wilson up, tore out to the early lead through an opening quarter mile in :21.98. The grey Lost and Found was second. Without Cause raced third, Uphill Dance was fourth and Quadruple (GB) was tucked in on the rail in 5th. Several lengths back, the Michael Stidham-trained Epic Style raced second last and the other grey Orderofthephoenix (IRE) trailed the field.
Skimming the portable rail, Miss Vyvyanne continued to dominate on the front end through a half-mile in :43.92. Two panels from home, Woodbine’s leading rider Pietro Moran had Epic Style out widest and in full flight, and the pair struck the front a half furlong out, going on to win by 1 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:08.04 over a course listed ‘firm.’
Riding the dark bay/brown four-year-old year for the first time, Moran helped engineer the first black type win for the daughter of Good Magic, a $300,000 purchase from the 2024 Ocala Breeders Two-Year-Olds in training sale. “It set up perfect. She’s a classy filly. She broke great,” said Moran.
“I was able to find myself all by myself around the turn. She was comfortable and she’s got some kick. I just want to thank all the owners, Mr. Stidham. They’ve done a great job.”
Assistant Trainer Parker Hendriks made the trip north on behalf of Stidham.
“We’re incredibly lucky to be working with her. If anybody saw her in the paddock, she doesn’t even need a lip chain,” said Hendriks. “She just walks around totally classy, super relaxed. She’s a real pleasure to train every day.”
Going second off the layoff, Epic Style (Good Magic – Final Mesa, by Sky Mesa) arrived at Woodbine after a 2 1/4 length win at Kentucky Downs in late August. She won that day at six-and-a-half furlongs and Stidham said pre-race that the six, six-and-a-half-furlong distance is the ‘sweet spot’ for the confirmed one run closer.
Bred in Kentucky by Tom Durant and owned by Speedway Stables LLC, Epic Style enhanced her record to 4-3-2 from 13 career starts, while scoring her second win in three attempts at the turf distance.
Epic Style was listed at 4-1 morning line, went off at 8-5 and returned $5.30 for the win. 25-1 shot Quadruple (GB) rallied to be second. Miss Vyvyanne held for third and second choice Without Cause was fourth. Z Z’s was a steward scratch.
More News
