Paramount Prince exuded his back class when he needed it most to win the $149,338 Seagram Cup Stakes (G3) Aug. 1 at Woodbine.
Ridden by Fraser Aebly, the 2023 King's Plate Stakes winner broke alertly from the outside post and quickly cleared the field of eight to lead through an opening quarter-mile in :23.82.
Up the backstretch, a relaxed Aebly had Paramount Prince freewheeling on the lead through a half-mile in :47.77, with longshot Twin City racing second and post-time favorite Runaway Again outside in fourth.
Into the lane, Paramount Prince cut the corner smartly and braced for a stretch rematch with Runaway Again, who had defeated Paramount Prince by a neck in the Dominion Day Stakes (G3) June 27.
Inside the sixteenth pole, Paramount Prince and Runaway Again hooked up in a thrilling duel, with both hitting the wire together and the Mark Casse-trained Paramount Prince getting the nod by a head in a photo finish. Sedburys Ghost finished third. The final running time was 1:43.24 for 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather main track.
Paramount Prince, owned by Michael Langlois and Gary Barber, paid $9.50 for the win, his second Seagram Cup after taking the 2024 edition.
The 6-year-old gelding by Society's Chairman, bred in Ontario by Ericka Rusnak, pushed his career earnings to $1,119,466 with the win and boosted his record to 9-3-7 in 24 starts.
