The races in the Canadian Triple Crown were destined to be won by three different horses in 2026 with King's Plate winner Luster and Prince of Wales Stakes winner Military Time missing from the six-horse field competing Sept. 27 in the $353,539 Breeders' Stakes. Their presence was definitely not missed by frontrunning winner Fire and Wine.
The 3-year-old Lexitonian colt had been the pacesetter in the Aug. 15 King's Plate, lasting to finish third as Luster ran off in a romp over the Tapeta. Then, Fire and Wine was forced to stalk the pace on dirt at Fort Erie and faded to fifth in the Prince of Wales as Military Time, runner-up in the King's Plate, would go on to score.
Sunday was a different story as the Triple Crown swapped to turf, and the Zeljko Krcmar-trained colt was ready to put on a show.
"That horse can run," Krcmar told Woodbine publicity in the winner's circle. "If somebody hooks him up, he's a chicken and backs up. But (when) he's in the front, he's as brave as they make them. He never stops. Soon as they come close, he looks behind and gone."
Fire and Wine was definitely no chicken Sunday afternoon, but instead played chicken with his rivals. When they finally came to challenge, he made a mockery of them.
With Jalon Samuel aboard wearing Paul Ryder's silks, Fire and Wine was lightly challenged by Imyourmedicineman—the only other horse to compete in all three Triple Crown jewels—in a :25.14 first quarter mile. By the time he ran a half-mile in :50.48, he had opened up 3 lengths on Imyourmedicineman with another 10 lengths back to Keepmypowderdry.
Those distances continued to increase, forcing early moves by his rivals. The lead diminished quickly and, as they approached the top of the stretch, it looked like Fire and Wine was burnt.
Despite the optics, Krcmar said he never felt threatened, and he was right. The brave heart he knew his colt had began to thunder, and just as quickly as spectators began analyzing who was going to be the rival to take the lead, Fire and Wine was back on top by 2 lengths. He continued to open up, streaking to the wire 4 lengths clear of Bond Market with Buium third.
Fire and Wine completed his 1 1/2-mile tour de force in 2:30.57, paying $24.70 to win.
Samuel, a Barbados native, celebrated what he called "the biggest win of my career" as he crossed the wire. He admitted in the winner's circle that the way he rode was intentional, emulating Emile Ramsammy's upset victory aboard Last Answer in the 2007 Nijinsky Stakes (G2T) over the same distance.
The two races were a bit different, Last Answer staying clear of his rivals until the very end when winning by three-quarter lengths, but the outcome was equally victorious.
"For the last two weeks, I was watching (the 2007 Nijinsky) over and over and over," Samuel said. "I said let me try to give this horse this ride and try to get home. Fortunately, it did work, so we're happy with that."
Bred in Ontario by James and Janeane Everatt, Arika Meeuse, and Robert Marzilli, Fire and Wine was a $5,000 purchase by Rachid Brothers at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February Mixed Sale out of the St George Sales consignment. Out of the The Factor mare Double Latte, Fire and Wine's second stakes victory improved his career record to 3-0-4 from 13 starts for $441,887.
