TORONTO — Star Contender, confidently ridden by Patrick Husbands, took command near the top of the lane and cruised home a 3 1/4-length winner in Saturday’s $250,400 Cup and Saucer Stakes, at Woodbine.
The bay son of Henny Hughes-Sanibel Star, trained by Mark Casse for owner John C. Oxley, survived a three-horse claim of foul initiated at the top of the lane when front-running Tex, ridden by Luis Contreras, edged off the rail into his path, causing Star Contender to come over in the path of Tormenta Fiera and rider Justin Stein.
Tex, who finished second in the 1 1/16-mile Canadian turf classic, was demoted to third position by the stewards for the infraction. Third-place finisher Tormenta Fiere was elevated to second.
Tex and Open Ice Hit set splits of :23.83 and :48.54 down the backstretch of a yielding E.P Taylor Turf Course as Star Contender stalked comfortably from sixth-position. Husbands edged Star Contender into contention through the turn, and despite the incident with Tex and ducking in at the eighth pole, was ridden out in style in 1:45.94.
Husbands was pleased with his trip aboard the strapping two-year-old.
“I was just stalking Luis (Contreras, Tex) and his horse switched leads early in the turn. I nearly caught his heels and it caused a chain reaction from Luis into me into Justin (Stein, Tormenta Fiera),” explained Husbands.
Assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan appreciated the strong presence of the maturing Star Contender in taking his second win from three starts.
“He’s just a big, beautiful horse,” said Sullivan. “He thinks he’s a star. He goes out in the morning and struts around the track. He’s got a big, beautiful stride. He showed today he’s still a baby, he’s still got a little bit of that in him, but he just looked great.”
Bred in Ontario by William D. Graham, Star Contender banked $150,000 in victory while improving his record to two wins and a third in three starts.
Star Contender paid $7.40, $3.70 and $3.20, combining with Tormenta Fiera ($4.30, $3) for a $35.40 (4-9) exactor. A 4-9-6 (Tex, $4.30 to show) triactor was worth $245.20 while a $1 superfecta [4-9-6-1 (His Race to Win)] came back $308.95.