Melmich looks to cure seconditis

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – On Sunday at Woodbine, Melmich looks to break a string of five straight second-place finishes and win the Grade 3, $125,000 Seagram Cup Stakes for the second year in a row. Melmich faces familiar rivals Are You Kidding Me and Gigantic Breeze in the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta race for 3-year-olds and up, race 6 on an 11-race card that also includes the $225,000 Wonder Where Stakes (race 9).

Melmich was beaten 1 1/4 lengths by Tiz a Slam in his most recent start, which came in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes over 1 1/4 miles here July 1. He has now finished in the runner-up position in three starts this year and his final two last year. Melmich is a closer, and trainer Kevin Attard said slow paces in all three races this season have had an impact on his chances to win.

“Hopefully this weekend we’ll have a bit more of an honest pace to run at,” he said.

Melmich won last year’s edition of the Seagram Cup by a nose over Are You Kidding Me, and they will square off for the fourth time already this season in this year’s edition. Are You Kidding Me beat Melmich in an allowance race and the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes in May, and finished two lengths behind him in the Dominion Day.

“If you look at Melmich and Are You Kidding Me, they’re two horses that have danced a few dances and still continue to compete at the highest level, and that’s a big testament to those two horses,” Attard said.

KEY CONTENDERS

Melmich, by Wilko Last 3 Beyers: 95-94-91

◗ Melmich appears to be training well coming into the Seagram Cup. He has breezed three times since the Dominion Day, including a five-furlong breeze in 1:00.40 on the main track July 29.

“His last two works have gone really well,” Attard said. “He’s coming into this race as good as can be. We’re just hoping he puts in one of his good performances.”

Are You Kidding Me, by Run Away and Hide Last 3 Beyers: 92-96-96

◗ He finished third in the Dominion Day, but won his previous two starts, both at 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta. He won the Eclipse Stakes by threequarters of a length over Melmich.

◗ He ran second in this event last season and missed the remainder of the 2017 season with a quarter crack.

Gigantic Breeze, by Giant’s Causeway Last 3 Beyers: 92-93-64

◗ Gigantic Breeze finished third in the Eclipse and was fourth, just a neck behind Are You Kidding Me, in the Dominion Day.

◗ Mario Pino, who rode Gigantic Breeze in his fourlength victory in the Presque Isle Downs Mile last September, takes over the mount for Gary Boulanger, who will ride Decorated Soldier for Norm McKnight.

Shakhimat, by Lonhro Last 3 Beyers: 98-70-78

◗ He will likely try to steal this race coming off a second in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes over a mile on the turf here June 30.

◗ He returns to synthetic after having made his last seven starts on turf. He won the 2015 Coronation Futurity Stakes by 9 3/4 lengths with a 91 Beyer Speed Figure on synthetic. He also ran second in the 2016 Plate Trial Stakes and fifth in the 2016 Queen’s Plate on synthetic.