William T Upsets Maycocks Bay in Durham Cup
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Photo: Michael Burns
William T (outside) defeats Maycocks Bay in the Durham Cup Stakes at Woodbine
Supplemented William T surged late to upset heavy favorite Maycocks Bay and score his first career stakes win in the $143,662 Durham Cup Stakes (G3) Sept. 19 at Woodbine.
Ridden by Fraser Aebly, William T settled inside in third position as the field of five made its way around the clubhouse turn.
Woodbine's leading rider Pietro Moran was aboard Maycocks Bay, and the pair set the pace through splits of :23.57, :47.86, and 1:11.71 while being pressured by 2025 Plate Trial Stakes winner Sedburys Ghost .
Inside the three-sixteenths pole, Aebly and William T moved into second along the rail, getting first run on the favorite. A furlong out, Aebly and the Don MacRae-trained son of Frosted angled off the fence, taking dead aim at Maycocks Bay and collaring the leader in the final yards to win by a half-length. Maycocks Bay was 3 3/4 lengths ahead of Sedburys Ghost in third.
William T ($9.70) completed the 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-olds and up in 1:42.54 on the all-weather track.
"This horse is a fighter," said Aebly, who has now ridden the gray or roan in nine of his 11 career starts and all three wins. "He digs in every time I ride. I mean, he just fights for you every time."
Bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms (Ontario), William T was a $45,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale by owner Michael Lay. William T improved to 3-5-2 from 11 lifetime starts and earnings of $261,487.