Florida Won mounts wide rally to win Seagram Cup

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Florida Won justified his favoritism in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup Stakes with a wide-closing score Sunday at Woodbine over an unlucky Pender Harbour.

With Patrick Husbands aboard, Florida Won raced outside about four lengths off the lead on the backstretch in the 1 1/16-mile route, with Pender Harbour just inside him.

Florida Won mounted a four-wide rally on the far turn, then hit the front in midstretch en route to a half-length win over Pender Harbour, who sought room in the stretch under Luis Contreras before making an inside bid. After setting moderate fractions, Asserting Bear weakened to finish third in a field reduced to nine with the scratches of Red Rifle, Tuscan Getaway, and Conquest Top Gun.

Florida Won ($5.30) completed the distance in 1:44.33. He banked $90,000 of the $162,100 purse for owner Live Oak Plantation and trainer Mark Casse.

“I knew the only way I could make it easier for me today was if I stuck Pender Harbour behind [Ultimate Destiny],” Husbands said. “I had him behind [Ultimate Destiny] after leaving the gate, and it was all over from there. The whole race, Luis had nowhere to go. That was my game plan going into the race.”