William T Upsets Maycocks Bay in Durham Cup

Supplemented William T surged late to upset heavy favorite Maycocks Bay and score his first career stakes win in the $143,662 Durham Cup Stakes (G3) Sept. 19 at Woodbine. Ridden by Fraser Aebly, William T settled inside in third position as the field of five made its way around the clubhouse turn.​ ​ Woodbine's leading rider Pietro Moran was aboard Maycocks Bay, and the pair set the pace through splits of :23.57, :47.86, and 1:11.71 while being pressured by 2025 Plate Trial Stakes winner Sedburys Ghost. ​ ​ Inside the three-sixteenths pole, Aebly and William T moved into second along the rail, getting first run on the favorite. A furlong out, Aebly and the Don MacRae-trained son of Frosted angled off the fence, taking dead aim at Maycocks Bay and collaring the leader in the final yards to win by a half-length. Maycocks Bay was 3 3/4 lengths ahead of Sedburys Ghost in third. William T ($9.70) completed the 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-olds and up in 1:42.54 on the all-weather track. "This horse is a fighter," said Aebly, who has now ridden the gray or roan in nine of his 11 career starts and all three wins. ​"He digs in every time I ride. I mean, he just fights for you every time." Bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms (Ontario), William T was a $45,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale by owner Michael Lay. William T improved to 3-5-2 from 11 lifetime starts and earnings of $261,487.