Golden Sabre Sets Track Record in Durham Cup

Sam-Son Farm's Ontario homebred Golden Sabre rebounded from a pair of narrow losses in Canadian grade II company on the turf to take the $150,000 Durham Cup (Can-III) on the Polytrack at Woodbine Oct. 3.

Trained by Malcolm Pierce and ridden by Emma-Jayne Wilson, the 5-year-old gelding by Medaglia d'Oro   out of the Smart Strike mare Strike Softly set a track record in the process. He covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.33 to beat the 1:48.66 recorded by Academic earlier this year.

Golden Sabre, who was last of seven early, circled the rest on the far turn to win by 2 1/2 lengths over Lukes Alley. Are You Kidding Me was third.

The winner paid $12.90 and won for the fourth time in 12 starts.

"This horse deserves a win," Pierce said. "He has had some troubled trips and I'm glad to see he got it done today. He's a pretty handy horse and he has improved since he was gelded."

Golden Sabre was gelded May 4. After that he won an allowance race and finished second in the Nijinsky Stakes and Sky Classic Stakes, both Canadian grade II events, before the Durham Cup.