High Return Likely for Bond Market in Breeders' Stakes

As the sole existing turf winner in the field, Bond Market  shows strength in the CA$500,000 Breeders' Stakes Sept. 27 at Woodbine.

The Breeders' Stakes, at 1 1/2 miles on grass, is the third and final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds. It follows the King's Plate Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on Tapeta, and the Prince of Wales Stakes at 1 3/16 miles on dirt at Fort Erie.

Luster  won the King's Plate, and Military Time , the King's Plate runner-up, took the Prince of Wales, a race Luster skipped. Neither Luster nor Military Time runs in the Breeders' Stakes, which drew a field of only six.

Polo Management Services' Bond Market, sixth when beaten 12 1/2 lengths in the Aug. 15 King's Plate after his first-out victory on turf July 5 for trainer Carlos Grant, faces a far less accomplished field in Sunday's race.

Katie's Grace , a stakes-winning, graded-placed 3-year-old filly by Independence Hall🔥  , is the likely favorite to beat males for trainer Catherine Day Phillips and owners Chivalry Thoroughbred Racing and Hubert Vester. After chasing Luster in the 3-year-old filly ranks this spring, she took the Aug. 8 Bison City Stakes on Tapeta before a close runner-up finish in the Sept. 6 Wonder Where Stakes over 1 1/4 miles on turf. All nine of her races have come against fillies.

Ryan Munger rides Katie's Grace, who carries 123 pounds, receiving a 3-pound weight break from her five male rivals. Jockey Xarel Forde pilots Bond Market.

Multiple stakes-placed Buium, third behind Bond Market in the latter's maiden victory, remains a maiden after 10 starts, but he has the stakes credentials to be a major player. He comes off one of his best races when third in the Prince of Wales, beaten three-quarters of a length by victorious Military Time.

Emma-Jayne Wilson returns in the saddle.

"I thought the effort in the Prince of Wales was outstanding," trainer Kevin Attard said. "He came running and running hard and ended up missing by less than a length. Obviously, we would have loved to see him get the win, but when you have a horse in your barn who goes out and gives it all he has all the time, you appreciate that heart and competitiveness every day."

The son of Uncle Mo is a homebred for American owners Al and Bill Ulwelling, produced out of the multiple stakes-placed Whywhywhy mare Lady Haddassah . The Ulwellings won the King's Plate in 2025 with Mansetti  and the Prince of Wales in 2021 with Haddassah , a half brother to Buium by Air Force Blue , and in 2023 with Velocitor . All of those horses were trained by Attard, who also has further victories in the Plate and Prince of Wales for other clients

The Ulwellings are gunning for their first win in the Breeders' Stakes, as is Attard.

"So to win all three Canadian Triple Crown races would be a dream come true," he said.