Mr Ritz Romps In Seagram Cup

TORONTO, ON – Earle Mack’s homebred Mr Ritz sprung from the gate like a rocket and never surrended the lead en route to romping gate to wire in Sunday’s $125,000 Seagram Cup Stakes (G3) at Woodbine.

Bursting from gate 5 under Patrick Husbands at 5/1 odds, Mr Ritz immediately asserted his presence up front before posting uncontested fractions of :24.88, :48.57, and 1:12.20. Given his cue as he rounded the far turn, Mr Ritz cleared away enough in upper stretch that Husbands hand-rode him the rest of the way.

Never challenged throughout, the Josie Carroll trainee completed the 1 1/16-mile event in a final time of 1:42.75 over the fast synthetic surface.

“He came out of there and he owned the lead,” Husbands said. “He got everything his way.”

Longshot Thor’s Rocket skimmed the rail and was all-out in the stretch to get up for second by a length over Special Forces, who headed the 3/5 favorite Mr Havercamp late for third. Further behind came Are You Kidding Me, Revved Up, Florida Won, and Rose’s Vision to complete the order of finish.

Mr Ritz’s win was his first since taking the Caesars Stakes at Indiana Grand last September and improved his overall record to 9-4-2-1. The British-bred 4-year-old son of Oasis Dream has now earned $254,690.

“This is just a really nice horse that I believed was going to improve this year and he’s proving us right,” Carroll said.

Mr Ritz returned $12.50 to win, $7.50 to place, and $4.90 to show. Thor’s Rocket brought back $35.60 to place and $14.90 to show, while Special Forces paid $5 to show.