Up With the Birds conquers Breeders' Stakes

Sam-Son Farms' homebred Up With the Birds left the stinging memory of his

narrow loss in the Queen's Plate well behind with a superb performance in

Sunday's $484,426

Breeders' Stakes at Woodbine, presenting his iconic owner/breeder with a

record sixth victory in the final jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown. Hammered

into 1-2 favoritism, the Malcolm Pierce pupil scythed through the field on the

far turn, repelled a challenge from River Seven, and kicked away by 2 3/4

lengths.

Up With the Birds was completing a big-race double for jockey Eurico Rosa da

Silva, who had earlier landed the Sky Classic aboard Forte Dei Marmi.

"He was a couple steps away from greatness in the Queen's Plate," said Mark

Samuel, Sam-Son Farms' CEO and son of the late founder, Ernie Samuel. "We

thought we had a great horse going into that race and he ran a great race. He

proved his class on a different surface. He's looking like he's very versatile,

looks like he can go all sorts of different distances.

"I'll wait to pass judgment on where he ranks in the annals of Sam-Son Farm

until his career is done. But he's looking like a special horse."

"I had a great trip," da Silva said. "He was very aggressive. He was very

keen. He wanted to be there (up with the leaders). I think he knew he lost last

time (in the Queen's Plate), so he said, 'this time, Eurico, I do the job.'"

But Up With the Birds simply drew off with authority, stopping the teletimer

in 2:28 3/5 on the firm turf and returning $3.10 to win.

"When he took the lead, it was hard for another horse to catch him because he

wants to take off," da Silva said. "He's all heart. He's a very good horse."

"What can I say, I'm very glad to be back," said Pierce, who worked as an

assistant for Jim Day and Mark Frostad for Sam-Son Farms, before venturing out

on his own, only to return as sole head trainer for Sam-Son in 2012.

"We always try to freshen our horses and give them lots of time between

races. There would have been more pressure if he had won the Queen's Plate to

try for the Triple Crown (by competing in the second leg, the July 30 Prince of

Wales at Fort Erie).

"But after getting beat in the Plate, it was an easy decision to wait for

this race."

River Seven held second by a neck from Pyrite Mountain, with Global Express

fourth. Dragon Puff faded to seventh in the field of 10 Canadian-bred

three-year-olds.