True Metropolitan targets rebound

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - True Metropolitan will try to avenge his surprising loss to Jiggs Coz in the Dominion Day Stakes in Sunday's Grade 3, $150,000 Seagram Cup Stakes at Woodbine.

True Metropolitan was voted the Sovereign Award for Canada's champion older runner in each of the past two years. He led all the way May 25 over 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 3 Eclipse Stakes, earning a career-high 103 Beyer Speed Figure.

True Metropolitan was headstrong early in the 1 1/4-mile Dominion Day while being rated by Jim McAleney, who maneuvered him into a wide stalking position on the backstretch. Jiggs Coz set a sleepy pace en route to a daylight win, and True Metropolitan was left reeling in second as the 2-5 favorite.

Trainer Terry Jordan believes you can throw out True Metropolitan's performance in the Dominion Day.

"It was just a bad race all the way around," Jordan said. "That wasn't him. The horse was more annoyed about it than I was. Jimmy was upset because he didn't ride him the way he wanted to. It was just one of those days. A four-horse field, and he got into lots of trouble. It doesn't sound right, but it happens."

Jordan expects True Metropolitan to bounce back in the 1 1/16-mile Seagram.

"The horse is okay," Jordan said. "There's nothing physically wrong. He worked five-eighths the other day in 1:00.80. I expect him to run very well. He's better than he was last year."

Jiggs Coz, a chalky third in the 2007 Queen's Plate, underwent surgery to remove an ankle chip after ending up second in the 2007 Prince of Wales Stakes and missed the second half of last year.

Jiggs Coz ran flat when he came off the sidelines on the grass in the Grade 3 Connaught Cup Stakes, much to the dismay of trainer Sid Attard.

"We were very disappointed with the way he ran," Attard said. "He was doing really good before the race."

Attard said he was surprised to see Jiggs Coz on the lead in the Grade 3 Dominion Day.

"We expected him to lay second and make a nice run," Attard said. "I think it will be different this time. Going a mile and a sixteenth, I think [True Metropolitan] will go the front."

The lone shipper in the field is Summer Doldrums, who won the Presque Isle Mile on Tapeta in his last start.