Samuel Dechamplain seeks first stakes win in Cup and Saucer
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Samuel Dechamplain will aim for his first stakes victory Sunday at Woodbine in the $250,000 Cup and Saucer Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds.
Samuel Dechamplain graduated second time out in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race Aug. 17. After vying for the lead over firm turf, he drew clear in the lane to prevail by daylight.
Samuel Dechamplain set moderate fractions over yielding ground most recently in the one-mile Summer Stakes. He weakened in the final furlong but managed to hold on for second by a nose.
“He’s a funny sort of horse,” said trainer Mike Doyle. “He runs better than he trains. He’s lovely to be around, and he’s improving all the time.”
For winning the Grade 2 Summer, Conquest Typhoon earned a free trip to Santa Anita for the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Even if Samuel Dechamplain runs a corker Sunday, Doyle said he probably won’t send him to Santa Anita for the same race.
“It’s only 18 days to the Breeders’ Cup,” Doyle said. “It’s doable but unlikely.”
Key contenders
Samuel Dechamplain (Last 3 Beyers: 69-72-53)
He has performed well on firm and yielding ground, but Doyle said firm turf is what he prefers. Expect him to lead the way, even with other speed in the field.
Passion for Action (Last 3 Beyers: 76-74-35)
Like Samuel Dechamplain, he won second time out when switching from Polytrack to grass. He then gave the favored Conquest Tsunami a run for his money when second in the seven-furlong allowance prep for the Summer. He bypassed the Summer due to a virus.
“We did a routine scope after he breezed before the race, and he had quite a bit of mucus,” trainer Mike De Paulo said. “We scoped him again on entry day and felt that it wouldn’t have been right to run him.”
Each of his turf races came over ground labeled “good,” which could be the course condition Sunday in the colt’s first try over a middle distance.
“He handles the softer ground,” De Paulo said. “A mile and a sixteenth is a concern after some time off, but he seems very rateable.”
Conquest Boogaloo (Last 3 Beyers: 55-53-13)
The Mark Casse-trained colt made all three of his starts on Polytrack and only got a 55 Beyer when he won the seven-furlong Swynford Stakes. He is by the good turf sire Scat Daddy, and his dam ran third in a 2-year-old turf stakes at Keeneland.