Paramount Prince wins for fun in the Seagram Cup (Michael Burns)
Chris Lomon/Woodbine Communications
TORONTO— Paramount Prince reigned supreme once again, this time in the $175,000 Seagram Cup (G2), Saturday at Woodbine.
Sent off as the 6-5 choice, Paramount Prince, leaving from the outside post in the eight-horse field, was hustled to the front by Patrick Husbands soon after the gates opened in the 1 1/16-mile main track event for 3-year-olds and up. Stanley House settled into second, followed by Volcanic and County Final.
On top by two lengths over Stanley House through an opening quarter in :24.69, Paramount Prince held the same advantage after a half reached in :48.81.
Heading into the turn for home, Stanley House amped up the pressure to the outside of last year’s King’s Plate winner, but Paramount Prince, under little urging, dashed away from his rivals in early stretch.
In front by five lengths at the stretch call, the 4-year-old son of Society’s Chairman-Platinum Steel cruised to a 5 ½-length triumph in a time of 1:43.37. A game Stanley House battled back to finish second, a head in front of Wicked Django. Palazzi, a stablemate of Paramount Prince, was a further neck back in fourth. Money Supply was scratched.
“He’s having so much fun right now,” said Husbands. “He’s enjoying everything coming over here and he’s growing up, he’s getting bigger and bigger. He’s the type of horse who has got a high cruising speed. He’s just got one ear forward and one ear back. You can play with him, the more you push him the faster he goes. He’s turned out to be a nice horse.”
#9 PARAMOUNT PRINCE ($4.50) gears down in the final strides of the $175,000 Seagram Cup (G2) at @WoodbineTB with Patrick Husbands in the saddle for owners Michael J. Langlois and Gary Barber. Another grades stakes win for the @markecasse team. pic.twitter.com/CvwLhui3kZ
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) July 27, 2024
Bred in Ontario by Ericka Rusnak and trained by Mark Casse, Paramount Prince, owned by Gary Barber and Mike Langlois, was a $21,000 (CDN) purchase at the 2021 CTHS sale.
“I just can’t believe this horse,” said Langlois. “He’s got character, a personality of his own. I love that guy to death. I visit him every week. I talk to him. He’s like a family pet and I think he loves us as much as we love him.
“There’s just something about him. He’s an incredible horse. They don’t come like that every day. Being new in the in the race business, I know how lucky we are and how blessed we are to have such an amazing horse.”
Paramount Prince, who arrived at the Seagram Cup off his first graded success in the Dominion Day (G3) on June 23, returned $4.50 for Saturday’s victory.
The Sovereign Award winner as Canada’s champion 3-year-old male is now 6-2-3 from 12 starts.
