Stidham, Moran team up in Durham Cup, Sweet Briar Too
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine’s leading rider Pietro Moran and Maryland-based trainer Mike Stidham will team up in both Saturday stakes, with Maycocks Bay in the Grade 3 Durham Cup and Epic Style in the $125,000 Sweet Briar Too.
The speedy Maycocks Bay should be the prohibitive favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Durham Cup. The powerful 5-year-old has raced twice this year at Woodbine and a third start in Canada this year will make him eligible for a 2026 Sovereign Award.
Maycocks Bay opened up a substantial lead and held on to take the Grade 2 Eclipse in his first Tapeta start May 30. He returned here July 19 for the Grade 2 Connaught Cup and wound up third in the 7 1/2-furlong inner turf event.
Three weeks ago, Maycocks Bay led until late stretch when second in a $500,000 handicap going a mile over the undulating Kentucky Downs turf course.
The $175,000 Durham Cup lured just four others – Sedbury’s Ghost and War Court along with the supplements Friendly Ghost and William T.
Sedbury’s Ghost could be the main threat to Maycocks Bay if he runs back to his third-place finish Aug. 1 behind Canadian classic winners Paramount Prince and Runaway Again in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup.
Sweet Briar Too
Epic Style ran her best career race last time out when a going-away winner in a 6 1/2-furlong conditioned allowance with an $80,000 claiming option at Kentucky Downs.
Epic Style must catch the fleet-footed Miss Vyvyanne, who should be favored in the Sweet Briar Too, a six-furlong main turf sprint for fillies and mares.
Miss Vyvyanne has won three of five starts this year, including an emphatic victory over males in the Grade 2 Highlander traveling five furlongs on the inner turf June 27. The five-furlong turf expert was softened up in a speed duel most recently when sixth going 5 1/2 furlongs in the rain-delayed Smart and Fancy Stakes at Saratoga.
Trainer Gail Cox said Miss Vyvyanne failed to handle the giving ground at the Spa.
“She was bobbling the whole way,” Cox said. “The turf was very soft, and she couldn’t stand up in it.”
Six furlongs over main turf won’t be a new challenge for Miss Vyvyanne, who has won over the vast course in the past.
“It is such a long stretch and it feels like it goes on forever at certain times,” Cox said. “Obviously, she has run well on it, and hopefully, she is able to carry her speed over it. There was an opportunity to race at Keeneland, but we looked at this race, and as long as the turf isn’t soft or yielding, we should be fine.”
Emma-Jayne Wilson inherits the mount from Moran on Miss Vyvyanne, who was a bargain $32,000 claim in June of 2025.
Among the others in the eight-horse field are the speedy Maryland shipper Lost and Found and Z Z’s.
Z Z’s was an eight-length winner of a first-level allowance sprint on the Tapeta in her first try for trainer Josie Carroll Aug. 16. Her turf form is spotty.
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