TORONTO, November 29, 2025 – Fire and Wine uncorked a vintage wire-to-wire performance to win the $250,000 Coronation Futurity, on Saturday at Woodbine. The 1 1/8-mile event for 2-year-olds foaled in Canada is a significant race on the road to the 167th running of The King’s Plate, first jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. Fire and Wine, trained by Zeljko Krcmar for owner Paul Ryder, is one to keep tabs on after an outstanding effort on a cold early evening at the Toronto oval. Sent on his way at 16-1 in the field of nine, Fire and Wine, with Slade Jones in the irons, crossed over from post seven to seize command with ease, as 6-5 choice Dixie Law settled into second, followed by Navy Street and Military Time. The bay colt held a two-length advantage over Dixie Law through an opening panel in :24.08, with Navy Street positioned third and Military Time in fourth. Fire and Wine extended his lead to four lengths over that same rival through a half in :49.59 and was still running along comfortably through three-quarters reached in 1:13.98. The son of Lexitonian out of The Factor mare Double Latte, making his stakes debut, looked like there was plenty left in the tank coming out of the turn for the stretch drive, while his pursuers looked to reel in the freewheeling longshot down the lane. Ahead by five lengths at Robert Geller’s stretch call, Fire and Wine went on to win by the same margin. Military Time was second, 1 ¾ lengths ahead of a late-closing Imyourmedicineman. Dixie Law was fourth. The final time was 1:51.90 for the Zeljko Krcmar trainee. Fire and Wine and jockey Slade Jones winning the Coronation Futurity Stakes on November 29, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) “I had a lot of confidence in him,” said Jones, Canada’s champion apprentice of 2022. “I know he was a really good horse. I get on him all the time. He just has that big stride and he just keeps running. I told myself I would go to the lead and make them come after me. It played out great that way. “Once I got to the half-mile pole and I kind of felt him underneath me, I had a lot of confidence right about there. I knew he had a lot to go, so I knew it would be a fight no matter what. I didn’t expect him to kick on like that, but he ran a huge race.” Krcmar, who recorded his fifth career stakes victory, watched Fire and Wine break his maiden in his start prior to the Coronation Futurity, a 13-length romp at one mile and 70 yards over the Woodbine main track on October 19. On Saturday, he celebrated a milestone victory with Ryder, his lifelong friend. “It’s nice to see it,” said Krcmar. “He deserves something very good.” Not that Ryder saw it coming. “I am still thinking about it – it’s unreal. I didn’t think he could do it [win] again, to be honest. I thought that was a little bit of a fluke last time. When I saw him go out and take the lead and open it up to six or seven [lengths], I thought, ‘My God, he is going to do it again.’ And then he had something left in the stretch and he just opened up. He’s an amazing horse.” Fire and Wine debuted on June 8 at Woodbine and finished sixth in the five-furlong main track race. He posted a trio of thirds and seventh ahead of that maiden-breaking effort last month. Bred in Ontario by James and Janeane Everatt, Arika Meeuse and Robert Marzilli, the colt was originally a $5,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February Mixed Sale. He paid $34.60 for the win. Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
