TORONTO, August 30 – Stephen Chesney and Cory S. Hoffman’s Melmich put away Field of Courage in a hard-fought stretch battle to capture his third successive Elgin Stakes, presented by OLG/OR, on Wednesday night’s Canadian Millions card, at Woodbine. Trained by Kevin Attard, the six-year-old Wilko-Little Swoon gelding arrived at the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta route for older horses on a three-race win streak having taken an allowance event as well as the Grade 3 Dominion Day and Grade 3 Seagram Cup earlier in the season. Melmich, with leading rider Eurico Rosa da Silva up, kept his perfect record for the meet intact while taking his fourth win on the trot as he chases a first Sovereign Award as Champion Older Horse. Star Contender set the early pace in the Elgin marking off splits of :25.19 and :50.79 under pressure from Field of Courage. Melmich, last of six through the clubhouse turn, advanced outside of horses down the back straight to sit third as a brave Star Contender clung to a precarious lead. Luis Contreras asked Field of Courage for his best run late in the turn and overtook Star Commander, but there was no denying Melmich who grinded out a 3/4-length score in 1:44.97. Field of Courage held place, five lengths in front of Star Contender. Melmich, bred in Ontario by Andrew Stronach, banked $75,000 in victory. He paid $2.40 to win. Share This:Share
