2016 Seagram Cup Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario will play host to the Grade 3 Seagram Cup Stakes on Monday, August 1. Horses three years old and upward will take to Woodbine's All Weather Track and race 1 1/16 miles for the winner's share of the $150,000 purse.

A field of seven will line up in the Seagram Cup Stakes - race 8 on Woodbine's Monday schedule. Post time is 4:41 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all seven entries for this Monday Grade 3 stakes at Woodbine.

2016 Seagram Cup Stakes Race Preview at Woodbine Racetrack

Melmich - runner-up to Are You Kidding Me in the Sovereign Award voting for champion older male - Kevin Attard trained gelding has 10 wins, five seconds and two third place finishes in 22 career starts (all at Woodbine) and enters in very good form - nine wins and a third in his last 13 starts overall. Last time out was one of those wins - by 1 1/2 lengths in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes July 1 which followed an OK third behind Breaking Lucky in the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes May 28, a superb 10 1/4 length win in track record time in the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes November 29, an Allowance score November 5 and a fourth in his only other graded stakes action to date - the Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes October 3. He also had a three race win streak before that including the minor OLG Elgin Stakes with a field-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure in September. Melmich will be after his second graded stakes win in a when he leaves from post 5 with Eurico Rosa Da Silva in the irons.

Are You Kidding Me - last year's Sovereign Award winner for champion older male had a nice two race win streak last summer- both graded stakes at Woodbine - the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes July 19 after his win in the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes June 7. He has been up and down since - a fifth last time out in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs June 18 followed a nice win on this track in the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes May 28. Before that was an eighth in the competitive Grade 1 Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland April 1, a nice win in the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes here November 8 and a third in the Grade 3 Durham Cup on this track October 3. Are You Kidding Me has placed in just one of his last three starts but has won his last two starts on this track (both graded stakes). He hopes to cure some inconsistencies on his favorite course from gate 6 Monday with Alan Garcia guiding him.

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Breaking Lucky - raced all three legs of last year's Canadian Triple Crown with mixed results. He won the Prince of Wales Stakes at 13-1 odds at Fort Erie July 28 but also had a ninth in the Breeders' Stakes in August on this track and a fifth in the Queen's Plate here July 5. He enters in the heels of consecutive respectable seconds - behind Melmich in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes here July 1 and in the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes here May 28. Before that were three straight third place finishes - the Grade 3 Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland April 16, the minor Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay March 12 and the Grade 3 Ontario Derby here September 20. He has placed in six of his last seven starts overall, has two wins, three seconds and three thirds in 12 career starts and looks for his first graded stakes score and his first win overall in over a year Saturday. Luis Contreras has the mount from gate 2.

Royal Son - Mark Casse trained gelding has three wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 11 career starts. He won the minor John Battaglia Memorial Stakes by an impressive 5 1/4 lengths in February, 2015 and went on to three straight fifth place finishes - an Allowance October 8, the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes in May and the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes in March. He finished 2015 with an OK third in the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes on this track November 8 and a disappointing sixth in the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes November 29. Royal Son has just one start in 2016 - it was an impressive 4 1/2 length Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track July 17. He looks for his first ever graded stakes score Sunday and enters in so-so form with Emma-Patrick Husbands aboard from the outside post 7.

Turncoat - Laurie Silvera trained gelding has five wins, four seconds and two third place finishes in 24 career starts. He enters in OK form - an Allowance Optional Claiming score July 10 followed a second in a similar race June 19 - both on this track and off-the-board finishes in his previous two. He has just one graded stakes start in his career - an eighth in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile back in September. Turncoat has been OK lately and will be hoping for his first stakes score from the rail Monday. Gary Boulanger gets the call.

Trace Creek - exploded on the scene two starts back for trainer William Van Meter with a win in the Grade 3 Hanshin Cup Stakes at Arlington May 21 and followed that with a disappointing sixth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Churchill Downs July 1. He failed to place in four starts prior to his most recent win as well. In 2015 he won the minor Arkansas Breeders' Stakes and had a second in the Grade 3 John B. Connally Turf Cup but hasn't been great in 2016. Trace Creek hopes to channel his form from two starts back but overall is in less-than-spectacular form. Rafael Manuel Hernandez has been tabbed to ride from post 3.

Freitag - has 22 career starts for trainer Mark Frostad with five wins, eight seconds and four third place finishes - all on this track. He has finished first or second in his last six starts overall including an Allowance Optional Claiming score last time out June 19 and a second in the minor Steady Growth Stakes May 23. He has been good against lesser competition but has yet to record a stakes score. Freitag steps into graded stakes company for the first time Monday from gate 4 with Emma-Jayne Wilson guiding him.