Bruno Schickedanz's War Bomber, sent off at 18-1, led every step of the way to take the $159,000 Seagram Cup (G3) for 3-year-olds and up Sunday at Woodbine.
Under Sahin Civaci, War Bomber took charge from the outset of the 1 1/16-mile main track event, rushing to the lead as Clayton followed in second, and Mark Casse-trained stablemates Tap It to Win (last year's Seagram winner) and Frosted Over, positioned in third and fourth, respectively.
Clocking the opening quarter in :23.92, War Bomber held a half-length advantage over Clayton while Tap It to Win and Frosted Over maintained their third and fourth position, respectively.
As the field came off the turn for home, Clayton announced his presence and soon matched strides with War Bomber. The front-end battle continued until late stretch, but the latter pulled away along the inside to register a three-quarter length score in a time of 1:43.26.
Fast-closing Artie's Storm rallied to secure second, a length ahead of third-place finisher Clayton. Frosted Over was fourth.
“Bruno and the trainer (Norm McKnight) were planning to go to the lead,” said Civaci. “I was anticipating (jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson) and the shipping horse (Carrothers) might take the lead or one of Casse's horses, so I was going to play the break, and no one was sending, so I sent and had an easy pace up front.”
Civaci, aboard War Bomber for the first time, felt at one point that the 4-year-old War Front gelding might have emptied the tank.
He soon got his answer.
“Around the turn, he got a little lazy on me, so I thought he was giving up as that horse [Clayton] came alongside. But he fought back.”
Bred in Ireland by Coolmore from the Indian Ridge mare Sun Shower, War Bomber is now 5-0-1 from 11 starts. The Seagram Cup is his second stakes win, and first graded. Last September, the bay gelding won the Toronto Cup Stakes.
“This is one of the best-bred horses in all of Canada,” Schickedanz said. “So, he's got the natural right to be where he is. He had a couple of extra gears and hopefully, we can nourish those gears and get more out of him.”
War Bomber paid $38.40.
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