A field of eight fillies and mares will line up at Woodbine on Saturday for the $175,000 Seaway Stakes (G3), with Creed’s Gold among the leading contenders for the seven-furlong contest.
The Seaway Stakes 2026 will bring together an evenly matched group of three-year-olds and older runners, and the race has added interest with last year’s winner Elysian Field returning to defend the title.
Creed’s Gold arrives in good form after securing the Hendrie Stakes (G3) for the second consecutive year. The five-year-old daughter of Jimmy Creed covered 6½ furlongs on Woodbine’s main track on July 25 and finished 1½ lengths clear, producing a strong late run after settling just off the pace.
The latest victory was another example of the versatility that has become a defining feature of Creed’s Gold’s career. The Mark Casse trainee has competed over different distances and surfaces and has repeatedly shown the ability to adapt to the demands of a race.
She will make her eighth straight stakes appearance on Saturday, with seven of those starts coming at graded level. Casse will also be represented by Elysian Field and Bessie Abott (IRE), giving the stable a strong presence in the eight-horse field.
Creed’s Gold’s progression has been notable since the early stages of her career. After finishing sixth in each of her first two starts at Gulfstream Park in 2024, she broke her maiden over a mile on turf later that year. Since then, she has finished among the first three in 12 of her next 14 starts.
Her first stakes success came in last year’s Seaway Stakes, before she added the Lightning City Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in February to begin her current campaign. That sequence has established her as one of the more dependable mares in the Woodbine sprint and middle-distance scene.
Her overall record stands at six wins, three seconds and three thirds from 16 starts, with purse earnings of $516,264. The numbers underline the consistency that has accompanied her development, particularly given the range of conditions in which she has competed.
The Seaway Stakes 2026 also offers a useful test of her ability to stretch to seven furlongs. Her recent Hendrie success came at 6½ furlongs, and the extra distance could suit a runner who has already shown she can settle before producing her best work in the closing stages.
Owned by Kristin Meldahl, Creed’s Gold was purchased for $25,000 at the 2022 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale. Prince Parris serves as her groom.
Her preparation for Saturday has included two four-furlong workouts at Woodbine. Both were recorded in 50.60 seconds, with the breezes coming on August 8 and August 14.
The work has given Creed’s Gold a final opportunity to sharpen up ahead of the Seaway, while also reinforcing the impression of a mare who has been thriving through a busy season. Her consistency in morning training has been matched by her record on race day.
Elysian Field will add another layer of interest to the contest. The multiple graded stakes winner captured last year’s Seaway and now returns with the opportunity to repeat that performance. Bessie Abott, also a multiple graded stakes-placed runner, completes the Casse trio.
With eight runners set to contest the seven-furlong feature, the race should provide a clear test of pace, positioning and finishing strength. Creed’s Gold enters with recent winning form, a proven record at Woodbine and the experience of competing successfully at graded level.
The Seaway Stakes 2026 is scheduled for Saturday at Woodbine, with the $175,000 Grade 3 feature forming one of the key races on the card. The Seaway Stakes 2026 field will determine the finishing order on race day; no result is available ahead of the contest.
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