Impressive maiden winner Unikat a key contender for Breeders’ Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The well-bred, lightly raced Unikat won his maiden in impressive fashion over 1 1/4 miles on turf here July 9 and now appears to be a key contender for Sunday’s $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes, the final jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown.

“If everything goes according to plan, we should be on schedule,” said trainer Brian Lynch. “He’s certainly bred to get the distance, and I think he showed that in a nice manner [in his last race]. If he can duplicate that in the Breeders’, he’d have a very happy trainer.”

Unikat, a Stronach Stables homebred, debuted for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin this year at Gulfstream Park. In just his second career start in March, the 3-year-old Unikat finished third against older horses in a maiden special weight race over 1 1/2 miles on turf.

After that race, Unikat was transferred to Lynch’s barn and has been pointed toward the Breeders’ Stakes.

“Both Kiaran and I train for the Stronachs, and I think the fact that he was a Canadian-bred, it made more sense for him to be up here and to point toward the Breeders’,” Lynch said.

While Lynch’s focus is on the Breeders’ Stakes, he believes the future is bright for Unikat. Unikat is by Galileo, the sire of the undefeated Frankel, who stands for a private stud fee at Coolmore in Ireland.

“With that sort of pedigree, you would hope that he has a future,” he said. “In my eyes, they get better as they get older, so I would hope that the sky’s the limit for him in the future.”

Nine other Canadian-bred 3-year-olds are likely to face Unikat in the Breeders’ Stakes, including Bangkok. Bangkok ran second to Unikat in that July 9 maiden race and subsequently won his maiden in his next start by 6 1/2 lengths.

Ami’s Holiday would be the only horse to contest all three legs of the Canadian Triple Crown this season with a start in the Breeders’ Stakes. Other likely starters include East Side, Interpol, Keen Gizmo, Majestic Sunset, Milwaukee Flash, Niigon Express, and Smart Spree.