Mr Ritz Repeats in Seagram Cup
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Photo: Michael Burns
Mr Ritz wins a consecutive edition of the Seagram Cup at Woodbine
In his second start off a layoff, Earle Mack's Mr Ritz defended his Seagram Cup Stakes (G3) title with a two-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Woodbine feature on Tapeta July 26.
The 5-year-old son of Oasis Dream returned from an eight-month hiatus in the July 4 Eclipse Stakes (G2) at Woodbine, tiring from second to finish third. But with a race under his belt, Mr Ritz made all in the CA$134,000 (US$99,903) Seagram Cup.
"I was a little bit disappointed (with the Eclipse)," trainer Josie Carroll admitted. "He definitely got a little bit tired; he needed that race. He had all of the winter off, and it showed a little bit. We thought he was very, very tight here and excelling in his works, but there's nothing like a race to really tighten them up, especially at this level of competition."
Mr Ritz, though defeated as the favorite in the Eclipse, was bet down to 6-5 odds in the Seagram Cup over his seven rivals, including Eclipse winner Skywire. The bay horse broke sharply under jockey Patrick Husbands and found himself leading by a length. Explode pressed the pace in second, followed by Skywire and Cooler Mike, as Mr Ritz set fractions of :24.28 and :47.95 through the first half-mile.
"When he made the lead, I was a little worried with that horse pressuring him, but he was so relaxed," Carroll said. "You could tell he was very relaxed. Then when he got a :24 (opening quarter-mile), I said, 'You know what? They're not going to catch him today.'"
Mr Ritz proved his trainer right. Explode could not keep up with the pacesetter as three-quarters went in 1:11.87. Cooler Mike was the first to make a bid to catch the leader as Skywire was hustled along the rail in the far turn. Though they gave chase, Mr Ritz held sway and finished in 1:43.28 on a fast track.
The second Seagram was the fourth black-type win for Mr Ritz, who two years earlier took the Caesars Stakes on turf at Indiana Grand and in September added the Presque Isle Mile Stakes on synthetic at Presque Isle Downs.
"He's won stakes on both surfaces. I think he's just a good older horse that's coming into himself," Carroll said.
Skywire, Cooler Mike, Avie's Flatter, Jungle Fighter, Tiz a Slam, Perfect Tapatino, and Explode completed the order of finish.
Mr Ritz was bred by Mack in Great Britain and made his debut there at Kempton before moving to North America. He is out of Mack's Nassau Stakes (G2T) winner Que Puntual, by Contested Bid, and is a half brother to group 3 winner Oceanographer. He was a $267,309 RNA from Book 1 at the 2016 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
The Seagram repeat improved the horse's record to 6-3-2 in 13 starts with earnings of $471,447.