Seagram Cup (Grade 3)- $125.000 Purse
WO- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
August 11, 2019

Seagraves came into the Grade 3 Seagram Cup as the longest shot on the board, going off at odds of 48/1. That could be considered a surprise considering a couple of factors, mainly being that you don’t often see Mb Stables runners going off at odds like that, and secondly because he was one of the three year olds in the field, something of which cannot be denied is a nice advantage right now. Still, he had another three year old to contend with, one that seemed to be in better shape, in Mr Cat Summers, and it was he who was the post time favorite. Seagraves would run a smart race here, and picks up the big win for his trainer, which is his second in the stake. The winning jockey is R M Hernandez, his second win, and second consecutive. The time of the victory was 1:41.25, a median time in the stake’s history. Let’s take a look!

(1/4 Mile- :23.29)- Mr Cat Summers, the post time favorite out of First Street Stables is quick out of the gate and opens a lead of a length and a half rather quickly. Midway into the opening turn, this is comfortable advantage over a group of three that run right behind him. This includes the eventual winner, Seagraves, for Mb Stables, who is running between Aer Stables’ Tragic and Joshua Stables’ Charleys Agent. Bad English is next in line, running fifth for Maxmillion Farm, and three and a half lengths out. Nearby to his inside are Skyscraper (John Henry) and Crush Spebrate (Diablo Diablo). Trailing are Space Cowboy (Nakamura Stables), and Einstein (Winning Link Stables).

(½ Mile- :46.83)- It’s still Mr Cat Summers out in front as he maintains a graceful stride without any pressure being applied to him. The advantage remains the same, between one and a half, to two lengths. There used to be three horse running right behind him, but now there would be just two as Charleys Agent completely bowed out of it over the beginning half of the backstretch. Seagraves would inch ahead just a bit from Tragic for the second position. After Tragic, there was a gap of two lengths to Einstein, who moved up to fourth while running four wide. Skyscraper and Crush Spebrate still ran side by side, and this is where Charleys Agent dropped back too. At the back, Space Cowboy and Bad English raced together.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Completing the run down the backstretch, and throughout the turn, Mr Cat Summers would continue to lead. Seagraves had a good stalking trip up until this point and now closed in to be right behind him at the top of the stretch. It looked at this point like these two had pulled away from the field, as there was still a two length cushion to the rest of the field. Tragic, a horse who had been running well early had dropped out of the equation. The advancing horses at this point seemed to be Skyscraper and Crush Sprebate, who were still not separating from one another and drawing closer. Einstein and Charleys Agent were next, and to the outside. Bad English had five lengths to make up here, and Space Cowboy would be the trailer.

(Finish- 1:41.25)- Early in the stretch, Mr Cat Summers looked like he may be up to the task of trying to hold off Seagraves, but midway through, the race belonged to the longshot. Seagraves ran well to the finish, and earns the hard fought win. Finishing second would be Bad English, that horse that was five lengths out of it at the top of the stretch. He made his closing bid coming right up the middle of the pack, with enough daylight to split rivals. Unfortunately for the trainer, he just ran out of time, and finishes second not because he had to carry a few more pounds, but because he ran out of race track. Mr Cat Summers holds onto third, over Crush Spebrate and Skyscraper who were practically glued together all race. Rounding out the order is Charleys Agent, Einstein, Tragic, and Space Cowboy.

About The Winner- Seagraves, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by R M Hernandez, is a three year old gelding by Mistrooper, and is out of the late Brilliantly Timed. He was bred in Texas as a yearling by Broken Spoke Stables, and acquired by Mb in the September 2018 auction for just $1.200. The win is his third is seven starts, and his first stake win of any sort. His career earnings are now $149.970.

Track: Fast
Time: :23¹  :46⁴  1:10¹  1:41¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 5 Paid 212.70
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 5 – 8 Paid 737.30

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES