Fire and Wine secured the $250,000 Coronation Futurity title with an impressive front-runner performance at Woodbine on Saturday. This 1 1/8-mile race for Canadian-bred two-year-olds is a significant event leading up to the 167th Kings Plate, the initial leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown series.
Trained by Zeljko Krutschmar and owned by Paul Ryder, Fire and Wine showcased exceptional skill despite the chilly conditions at the Toronto Oval. Starting from post seven with Slade Jones as the jockey, the colt quickly took the lead, distancing himself from 6-5 favorite Dixie Law, who finished second, followed by Navy Street and Military Time.
Fire and Wine led the first quarter mile in 24.08 seconds, maintaining a two-length advantage over Dixie Rowe, with Navy Street and Military Time trailing. By the half-mile mark, he had extended his lead to four lengths with a time of 49.59 seconds, running smoothly as he passed the three-quarter mark in 1:13.98.
Making her stakes debut, Double Latte, a Lexithonian mare by The Factor, had room to make a move but couldn’t catch Fire and Wine, who won by about the same margin as Robert Geller’s previous stretch call, leading by five lengths. Military Time claimed second place, ahead of Immi Yua Medicine Man, who finished strongly, and Dixie Rowe came in fourth. The final race time was 1:51.90.
Krutschmar, celebrating his fifth career stakes win, expressed confidence in Fire and Wine’s endurance and strong stride, emphasizing the strategy to stay ahead and let pursuers chase. Ryder, the owner, admitted he didn’t expect the horse to replicate such a dominant performance, calling it “unreal” and praising Fire and Wine’s impressive stretch run.
Fire and Wine made his debut at Woodbine on June 8, finishing sixth in a five-furlong race. Prior to the Coronation Futurity, he had several third- and seventh-place finishes. The colt was bred in Ontario by James Everatt, Janan Everatt, Arika Muse, and Robert Marzilli and was initially purchased for $5,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February Mixed Sale. Fire and Wine’s win paid $34.60.
Fan Take: Fire and Wine’s victory is a thrilling reminder of the depth of talent in Canadian horse racing, highlighting how underdog horses can rise to prominence. This race sets an exciting tone for the upcoming Kings Plate and could inspire renewed fan interest and investment in the sport.
