Canada’s Reigning Champion 3-Year-Old Dresden Row Faces Seven In Seagram Cup originally appeared on Paulick Report.
Multiple graded stakes victor and Sovereign Award winner Dresden Row faces seven rivals in Saturday’s Grade 3 $150,000 Seagram Cup at Woodbine.
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The 1 1/16-mile main track event, for 3-year-olds and up, marks the second start of the season for Dresden Row, who was crowned Canada’s champion 3-year-old male of 2024.
“He’s a very nice horse,” said trainer Lorne Richards, who trains the colt for Keith Johns’ True North Stable and Bloom Racing Stable (Jeffrey Bloom). “It was nice to see him recognized, and you are certainly happy for the owners as well.”
Over 11 races, Dresden Row has finished in the top three on every occasion, crafting a 5-3-3 mark, to go along with $330,558 in purse earnings.
After a debut second over six furlongs on the E.P. Taylor course in October 2023 and a third, only a head back of the winner in a 6 ½-furlong test over the main track two weeks later, Dresden Row broke his maiden courtesy of a 1 ¼-length score at 1 1/16 miles over the same surface on Nov. 5.
He closed out his rookie campaign with another sharp performance, a 3 ¼-length triumph at 6 ½ furlongs over the main track.
His first stakes success came in the Durham Cup (G3) on Sep. 28, 2024. One race later, he put on another impressive display, taking the Ontario Derby (G3).
After a second in the Autumn Stakes (G2) last November, Dresden Row traveled to Turfway Park in December and finished second, a head behind the winner, Paros, in the Prairie Bayou Stakes.
“He ran very well,” said Richards. “With a little better trip, he probably gets there. He kind of got squeezed off on the first turn, shuffled back, down on the inside, eating track the whole way, but he came running at the end. A couple more jumps, and I think he gets there.
“They set a track record (1:42.22), so it was a pretty salty dash.”
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Dresden Row’s 4-year-old debut, on June 28 at Woodbine, came in the bet365 Highlander (G3), where he finished third in the six-furlong E.P. Taylor turf event.
“He was running strong at the end,” said Richards. “The turf was listed as good – I don’t think he cares for turf that has that type of give to it – and I don’t think the distance is what he prefers. It was a big ask, but I thought he ran a good one. I’d like to run him on the inner turf one day, so hopefully, we can get there.”
Bred in Kentucky by TCR Ranch, Dresden Row (Hip #315) was a $70,000 purchase at the 2023 OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training.
Kelsey Mayhew-Munger, who handles assistant trainer duties, is also the groom.
“One of the things I appreciate most about working with Dresden Row is his professionalism and genuine love for the job,” said Mayhew-Munger. “Watching him race, what stands out is his determination and incredible versatility. You know that when he steps onto the track, he’s going to give everything he’s got. It’s a real privilege being able to work with a horse like him.”
Other starters include the Mark Casse-trained trio of Essex Serpent, Paramount Prince, and Swift Delivery.
Fans can wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and bet365.com. The betting menu for the Seagram Cup includes Rolling Double, Exacta, .20 Trifecta, .20 Superfecta, and $1 Swinger.
First post for Saturday’s card is 1:05 p.m.
$150,000 Seagram Cup (G3)
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Dresden Row – Ryan Munger – Lorne Richards
Paramount Prince – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
Bail Us Out – Fraser Aebly – Kevin Attard
Stanley House – Leo Salles – Mike De Paulo
Swift Delivery – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
Essex Serpent – Sofia Vives – Mark Casse
Classic Mo Town – Pietro Moran – Marty Drexler
Lac Macaza – Rafael Hernandez – Marty Drexler
Nice As Pie Takes To The Turf For Sweet Briar Too Stakes
Nice as Pie will make her second straight start at Woodbine when she goes postward in Saturday’s $125,000 Sweet Briar Too Stakes.
Trained by Kelsey Danner for owner and breeder Dede McGehee, Nice as Pie arrives at the six-furlong E.P. Taylor turf feature for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, off a troubled third in the Hendrie Stakes (G3), contested at 6 ½ furlongs over the Woodbine main track, on July 5.
After getting away a step slowly, the 4-year-old daughter of Tapiture was in tight along the rail and had to check at the half-mile mark.
“She can kind of find trouble because she never really breaks super sharp,” said Danner, who is enjoying a strong 2025 campaign. “But once she settles into rhythm, she can take off after that. She has natural talent. She’s very athletic and nimble.”
After a seventh-place to start her career in August of 2023, Nice as Pie rhymed off four consecutive wins to conclude the 2024 Winter/Spring Meet at Turfway Park, from Jan. 3, 2024, to March 30, 2024. Two of those scores came at the stakes level, the Valdale, in February, and the Serena’s Song, at the end of March.
Out of the Include mare How Nice, Nice as Pie is a half-sister to the Danner-trained standout sprinter Smokin’ Jay, as well as two other winners at sprint distances.
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The consistent bay ability continues to impress the multiple graded stakes-winning conditioner.
“It will be nice to see her on grass,” said Danner, of the filly who has comprised a record of 5-3-2 from 15 starts, along with $424,376 in purse earnings. “She hasn’t been on the grass much.
“Last year, in the (one-mile turf) Penn Oaks, she was second, and it was an excellent effort. She closed very strong, and we’re hoping she can do the same thing on Saturday.”
Nice as Pie had a pair of workouts at Churchill Downs in preparation for the Sweet Briar Too, including a four-furlong breeze in :47.80 over the main track on July 24.
“She’s been working very well,” said Danner. “She’s a very sweet filly. Everything we’ve had out of that mare has been sweet and classy, very easy to be around.”
Danner will also be represented by Sickle Dance.
A 5-year-old daughter of Bee Jersey out of the Danehill Dancer mare Dance Secretary, Sickle Dance will make her first start outside of the U.S.
Owned by NBS Stable, the chestnut mare was fifth in the Queen Stakes, a six-furlong sprint over the Turfway Park all-weather track, on March 15.
“She raced well against Nice as Pie this winter,” noted Danner, of the fourth-place effort to her winning stablemate on Feb. 12 at Turfway. “She ran in the stakes race after that, and she showed some nice late run. We shut her down for a bit after that. She’s been working well, and she will love the six furlongs and the grass in this one.”
Bred in Kentucky by Charles Fipke, Sickle Dance was a $200,000 purchase at the 2022 OBS Company June Two-Year-Olds & Horses of Racing Age Sale.
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Fans can wager on all the action via HPIbet.com and bet365.com. The wagering menu for the Sweet Briar Too includes Rolling Double, Exacta, .20 Trifecta, .20 Superfecta, .20 Pick 3 (Races 6-7-8), .20 Pick 5 (6-7-8-9-10), and $1 Swinger.
First post is 1:05 p.m.
$125,000 Sweet Briar Too
Oujda – Rafael Hernandez – William Walden
Queen of the Mud – Pietro Moran – Graham Motion
Ready to Jam – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
Ticker Tape Home – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
Run for the Hills – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
Sickle Dance – Victor Espinoza – Kesley Danner
Metaphysical – Fraser Aebly – Tony Gattellaro
Nice as Pie – Sofia Vives – Kelsey Danner
Dancing Duchess – Jose Campos – Mark Casse
Dontlookbackatall – Eric Cancel – Miguel Clement
Loon Cry – Ryan Munger – Miguel Clement
This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.