Mr Ritz Waltzes Away With Seagram Cup at Woodbine
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Photo: Michael Burns
Mr Ritz takes the Seagram Cup at Woodbine
With a gate-to-wire performance, Mr Ritz waltzed home in the CA$131,500 (US$99,414) Seagram Cup Stakes (G3) at Woodbine, scoring his first graded stakes for owner/breeder Earl I. Mack and trainer Josie Carroll Aug. 11.
The 4-year-old son of Oasis Dream came into the 1 1/16-mile test on the all-weather course off a fifth in the June 29 King Edward Stakes (G2T) at one mile, also at Woodbine. Prior to that effort he had finished second in the May 20 Eclipse Stakes (G2) over the same course and distance. He had also finished third in his graded stakes debut in October 2018 in the 1 1/8-mile Ontario Derby (G3).
In Sunday's test Mr Ritz faced a field of seven other older horses, including the heavily favored Mr Havercamp. After an even break, Mr Ritz overtook Mr Havercamp early under jockey Patrick Husbands and gained about a three-length lead heading down the backstretch. After a quarter-mile in :24.88 he opened to a five-length advantage and posted a half-mile in :48.57 with Mr Havercamp still giving chase in second.
Rounding the turn the field shifted gears and Mr Havercamp led the charge to close the gap on the leader, but in the stretch long shot Thor's Rocket took over second as Mr Havercamp retreated. Mr Ritz completed the distance in 1:42.75 on a fast track, finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front.
"He came out of there and he owned the lead," Husbands said. "He got everything his way."
The winner returned $12.50, $7.50, and $4.90 across the board. Getting up for second at odds of 66-1, Thor's Echo paid $35.60 and $14.90, and Special Forces rallied from the back of the field to just get a head in front of Mr Havercamp at the wire, returning $5.
Mr Ritz brought his win tally to four from nine starts after winning first time out at Kempton as a 2-year-old and a year later adding a Woodbine allowance and the Caesars Stakes at Indiana Grand Race Course.
"This is just a really nice horse that I believed was going to improve this year and he's proving us right," said Carroll, who was among those honored at the Canadian Hall of Fame induction ceremony Wednesday evening.
Bred in Great Britain, Mr Ritz is out of the Argentine multiple group/grade 1-placed Contested Bid mare Que Puntual, who also produced Oceanographer, a group 3 winner in Australia.