Lookin for Eight Upsets Durham Cup at Woodbine
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Photo: Michael Burns
Lookin for Eight scores his first stakes victory in the Durham Cup at Woodbine
Lookin for Eight ran away with the $125,000 Durham Cup Stakes (G3) at Woodbine Sept. 23 to win the first stakes of his career as a 4-year-old.
Melmich, the even-money favorite in the 1 1/8-mile contest on the all-weather track, came out of the gate running but then settled in third in the field of four. Lookin for Eight, off at 12-1, was comfortable on the lead with jockey Jerome Lermyte, and the pair set fractions of :24.37, :49.46, and 1:13.47 through six furlongs.
Lookin for Eight, who opened up from second-place runner Florida Won on the turn, had more in the tank when Melmich made his move in the stretch and was able to score by 1 1/4 lengths. The final time was 1:50.55. Melmich was edged for second by Florida Won.
"In the back of my mind, I always thought maybe one was going to come at the end, but it worked out great and we just kept on going," Lermyte said.
Owned by Gary Barber, John Oxley, Ralph Kinder, and Ervine Woolsey, and supplemented into the race at the last minute by trainer Mark Casse, Lookin for Eight last won an allowance race at Churchill Downs in November.
"Mark's very good at that. It was a last-minute decision," said assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan. "We entered him yesterday for an allowance race and opted to run here, and it worked out very well."
The winner returned $26.50 for a $2 ticket.
In the gelding's most recent effort Aug. 26, going about one mile on the Woodbine turf, the son of Lookin At Lucky finished fourth after he hit the gate at the start.
Avie's Mesa, who won his past two starts before the Durham Cup, was not a factor and raced in fourth for most of the race.
Three races earlier on Woodbine's Sunday card, Bourbon Stritta rallied from far back late in the stretch of the Bull Page Stakes to steal the win from Souper Hot at the wire for trainer Robert Neumann. The stakes victory came in the 2-year-old's second start. The Old Forester gelding won his July 21 debut at the Ontario track by 4 1/2 lengths.