TORONTO, July 18, 2025 – It is fitting that Cruden Bay makes his return to racing in Sunday’s $175,000 bet365 Connaught Cup Stakes (G2T), at Woodbine. The seven-furlong event for 3-year-olds and up, to be contested over the E.P. Taylor turf, has drawn 10 hopefuls, including 7-year-old Cruden Bay. Trained by Don MacRae for owner Michael Lay, hard-closing Cruden Bay recorded the biggest win of his career to date when the son of Big Screen out of the Bold Executive mare Executive Affair took the Connaught Cup last July. Cruden Bay and jockey Sofia Vives winning the bet365 Connaught Cup (G2) on July 20, 2024 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) “The thing about this horse is that every time he runs, he brings a tear to my eye,” said MacRae. “He is just a dude, through and through. He has always been that way. To be able to see him compete in a graded stakes race and get it done, in his typical fashion, by a neck – I have watched the replay 100 times, and I tear up and smile every time.” After a fifth in the $200,000 bet365 King Edward Stakes (G2T) on August 23, the bay gelding was sent to the sidelines for the rest of 2024. “We had that hiccup mid-way through last year,” said MacRae. “Kudos to Michael Lay for being as patient as he was. It’s not easy. His injury required some time to heal, and we made sure that he got the rest that he needed.” Cruden Bay has a steady work tab leading up to his return, including three breezes – two at five furlongs, the other at four panels – in June over the main track. He breezed four furlongs in :48.20 on the same surface on July 12. “It’s incredible,” said MacRae. “I have never seen him work like this. I have never seen him be so aggressive and so solid on the bridle. This is the best I have ever seen him come into a race. In most cases, I wouldn’t put him in a stakes race right off the bat, but he ran so well fresh last year. I expect him to fire a big one.” Bred in Ontario by Spring Farm, Cruden Bay, who won his debut November 14, 2020, at Woodbine, brings a 7-9-1 record from 23 lifetime starts, along with $436,935 in career earnings into the Connaught Cup. He was a $45,000 (CDN) purchase at the 2019 CTHS Canadian-bred Yearling Sale. Diego Kellman is the groom. Multiple graded stakes winner Lucky Score, graded stakes winner Kehoe Beach, multiple graded stakes placed Northern Invader, graded stakes placed Piper’s Factor, and I’m a Gambler (IRE), multiple stakes placed Shards, stakes winners Sky’s Not Falling, and Twin City, and five-time winner Crumlin Lad round out the field. Hall of Fame jockey Robin Platts has won a record eight editions of the Connaught, including back-to-back successes (1968-69) with James Bay. Plate Glass won the first two runnings, in 1912 and 1913. First post for Sunday is 1:05 p.m. The wagering menu for the Connaught Cup includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta, 0.20, Pick 3 (Races 7-8-9), .20 Pick 4 (Races 7-8-9-10) and $1 Swinger. Fans can wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and bet365.com. Field for the Grade 2 $175,000 bet365 Connaught Cup – Race 7 Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer 1 – Northern Invader (S) – Rafael Hernandez – Cherie DeVaux 2 – Shards – Sofia Vives – Kelsey Danner 3 – Sky’s Not Falling – Jalon Samuel – Michael Trombetta 4 – Kehoe Beach – John Velazquez – Wesley Ward 5 – Lucky Score (S) – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse 6 – Piper’s Factor – Rafael Hernandez – Katerina Vassilieva 7 – Twin City (S) – Jose Campos – Stuart Simon 8 – Cruden Bay – Fraser Aebly – Don MacRae 9 – Crumlin Lad – Amanda Vandermeersch – Alexander Patykewich 10 – I’m A Gambler (IRE) – Pietro Moran – Kevin Attard Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
