Durham Cup Stakes 2013 Contenders at Woodbine Racetrack

Las Vegas, NV - Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario will play host to the Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes this Sunday, October 6. A purse of $150,000 will be on the line for horses three years old and upward who take to Woodbine's dirt track and race 1 1/8 miles.

A small field of just six will take part in the Durham Cup which goes off as race 8 on Woodbine's Sunday card. Post time is 4:24 PM. Let's take a glance into the past performances of all six entries for this Grade 3 stakes.

2013 Durham Cup Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Delegation - made his graded stakes debut with a third in the 2012 Grade 2 Play the King Stakes at Woodbine before two straight impressive wins - an Allowance Optional Claiming score and the 2012 Durham Cup Stakes. He went on to a very good third in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile behind Tapizar and Rail Trip and a second in the minor Harlan's Holiday Stakes December 16 right behind Csaba. He started his 2013 campaign with an ugly eighth in the Grade 3 Hal's Hope Stakes but has won two of four since - an Allowance score in April and the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes July 1 with a good second in the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes sandwiched in there. Last time out was a definite hiccup - a sixth in the competitive Grade 1 Pacific Classic behind Game On Dude among others after staying with the field August 25 at Del Mar. He's only had just two bad starts in his - both coming this year. That said he is the most accomplished entry in the field, is at his home track where he has won five of six starts and is the one to beat Sunday. He starts from the rail.

Alpha Bettor - has 24 career starts - 23 at Woodbine. He has shown very good form in the past - he won the Grade 3 Seagram Cup two straight years including August 3 of this year but he followed that with a tenth last time out in the minor Presque Isle Mile Stakes September 8. Earlier this year he also had an OK third in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes behind James Street who is also entered in the Durham Cup and a win in May over Delegation in the Grade 2 Eclipse also on this track. He has won two of his last three starts on this track and has not been worse than fourth in his last nine starts on this track. He, like Delegation will be happy to be home, ready to challenge this weekend.

Durham Cup Stakes 2013 | Remaining Contenders

So Long George - raced for the first time in stakes company in the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes here in December and finished fifth but followed that with an Allowance Optional Claiming score. He won his first ever stakes - the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes in upset fashion at Woodbine July 21 after an OK fourth in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes on this track June 23 but last time out was last of five in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch August 31 in his first ever start away from Woodbine. He returns to familiar surroundings Sunday looking for a strong bounce back.

Durham Cup Stakes betting at Woodbine Racetrack with OffTrackBetting.com

James Street - is a graded stakes winner and multiple graded stakes placed and had a nice second in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes July 1 to follow a good third in the Grade 3 Eclipse Stakes behind Alpha Bettor and Delegation here May 12. Last time out however was a disappointing sixth in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup. Before the Dominion result was a second in an Allowance in April and a distant ninth in January in the Grade 3 Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap. He did have a win in the Grade 3 Autumn Stakes on this track in November as well as a pair of thirds in his previous two graded stakes starts at Woodbine. He finished third in this race last year and was knocking on the door before his ugly effort last time out although he has yet to taste victory in 2013.

Peyton - raced some big races on this track last year with some unflattering results including a thirteenth in the Queen's Plate, a tenth in the Breeders' Stakes and a sixth in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby. But Peyton had a 2 1/4 length high-priced Allowance score in November and followed that with a good second in the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes here in December. He has four starts in 2013 - an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track July 1 after 7 1/2 months away, an OK third in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup, an ugly eighth in the Grade 2 Sky Classic and an Allowance score last time out on this track September 13. He will be looking for his first graded stakes score Sunday.

Awesome Overture - races for just the seventh time for trainer Paul Attard and is coming off two second place finishes - an Allowance last time out as favorite behind Peyton as 3-5 favorite and the Grade 3 Seagram Stakes August 3 after his only off-the-board finish - a fifth in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes here July 1. Before that was three starts and three wins - the biggest of which being an Allowance Optional Claiming here June 9. He has been very competitive in his short career and could be the surprise of the Durham Cup.

2013 Durham Cup Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Woodbine Racetrack's Sunday card with a Post Time of 4:24 PM.