Kazushi Kimura guides Rapid Test to victory in the $100,000 dollar Elgin Stakes. (Michael Burns Photo)
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
TORONTO, Ont. – Rapid Test, fresh off an impressive score at Woodbine, chases his first graded stakes success in Saturday’s Grade 3 $135,000 Durham Cup, a 1 1/16-mile main track event for 3-year-olds and up.
Trained by Catherine Day Phillips, who co-owns (through her Kingfield Racing Stable, Ltd.) with Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds, the son of Souper Speedy-Arch Tigress rallied stoutly to notch a head victory on the Toronto oval inner turf on August 23.
Ignored on the tote board at 58-1, Rapid Test, under Emma-Jayne Wilson, settled inside throughout the first turn, then switched out to stalk the lead foursome before a winning outside bid in upper stretch.
The final time over firm going was 1:41.26 and yielded a $118.80 win payout.
“I was most impressed with Rapid Test’s determination to win in his last race,” said Day Phillips. “He has always trained like a good horse. Until his last race, he was having trouble putting it together in the afternoons this year.”
Bred by Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, the 4-year-old bay gelding won first time out on May 13, 2023.
Sent on his way as the 3-1 second choice, Rapid Test got away smartly in the 5 ½-furlong main track race, was headed at the quarter-pole but came back on to take the lead a sixteenth from home, and then fended off another rival to secure the milestone win.
Rapid Test, who won the 2023 Elgin Stakes, has posted nine top four finishes, and has crafted a 4-1-0 mark from 11 career starts, to go along with $204,288 in purse earnings.
“Since his last win, he has been full of confidence and very happy,” said Day Phillips. “We’re looking forward to a big effort from him this weekend in the Durham Cup.”
Kevin Pena Salgado is the groom.
Other starters include Paramount Prince (6-2-3 from 12 starts), honoured as champion 3-year-old male in Canada last year after a King’s Plate-winning season. The multiple graded stakes winning son of Society’s Chairman-Platinum Steel, bred by Ericka Rusnak, is trained by Mark Casse for Mike Langlois and Gary Barber. Stanley House, trained by Mike De Paulo and owned by John and Diana Russell, is 3-6-1 from 14 starts. Bred by Elevage II, LLC & St. Elias Stables, LLC, the son of Army Mule-Stormy’s Song won his 4-year-old debut in May and has followed it up with a trio of strong runner-up efforts.
First post for Saturday’s 10-race card is 1:10 p.m. Fans can wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and bet365.com.
Field for the Grade 3 Durham Cup (Race 9)
