Fire and Wine completed a memorable afternoon at Woodbine on Sunday, September 27, producing a determined front-running performance to win the Breeders’ Stakes 2026, the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. Ridden by Jalon Samuel, the three-year-old colt controlled the 1½-mile turf contest from the outset and held off a late challenge to score by four lengths.
The compact field of six broke cleanly, with Samuel quickly taking Fire and Wine to the lead from post three. The pair moved across to the rail and set the early pace, covering the opening quarter mile in 25.15 seconds. Imyourmedicineman settled into second, while Keepmypowderdry and Buium occupied positions further back. Bond Market raced along the inside, with Katie’s Grace initially bringing up the rear.
Fire and Wine remained comfortable in front through the half-mile mark in 50.48 seconds. Imyourmedicineman continued to apply pressure, but the leading pair had already opened daylight over the remainder of the field.
As the field approached the midpoint of the 12-furlong Canadian classic, Katie’s Grace began to improve her position and moved into third. Fire and Wine, however, continued to dictate matters, reaching six furlongs in 1:15.10 on the firm E.P. Taylor Turf Course.
The pressure increased during the next stage of the race. Fire and Wine remained in front at the mile marker in 1:40.73, although the advantage had narrowed considerably. Imyourmedicineman was still within striking distance, while Katie’s Grace travelled along the rail in third and Buium remained close behind.
Breeders’ Stakes 2026 Belongs to Fire and Wine
Fire and Wine passed the 10-furlong mark in 2:05.90 with the field beginning to close in. Samuel then asked for another effort, and the colt responded strongly, stretching away once more in the closing stages.
Fire and Wine crossed the line in 2:30.57, four lengths clear of Bond Market. Buium finished third, while Imyourmedicineman completed the top four. Katie’s Grace finished fifth.
For Samuel, the victory marked the biggest win of a career that has already included seven Barbados Gold Cup successes. The jockey was visibly elated after guiding Fire and Wine to the Canadian classic victory.
“To win this race, this is the biggest win of my career,” Samuel said.
The rider also spoke about establishing himself in Canada after making the country his new racing base outside Barbados.
“This is now my home, Canada, other than Barbados. So I’m gonna be patient and take my time and build what I need to build here,” he said.
The victory was another important step in the development of Fire and Wine, who is trained by Zeljko Krcmar. The colt had broken his maiden at his sixth start, winning a local route race by 13 lengths under Slade Jones. He followed that performance with another front-running victory in the Coronation Futurity, defeating a field of nine by five lengths.
Those performances placed Fire and Wine among the horses to watch during the Canadian three-year-old campaign. In 2026, with Samuel aboard for the first time, he finished third in the King’s Plate before competing in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie, where he finished fifth after racing prominently.
Krcmar has long believed that Fire and Wine is at his best when allowed to dictate the tempo.
“You know that horse can run, and luckily if somebody hooks him up, he is a chicken, he’ll back up, but if he’s at the front, he’s brave as they make them. He never stops,” Krcmar said.
“He was by himself. I had a lot of faith in him that he’s by himself.”
Bred in Ontario by James and Janeane Everatt, Arika Meeuse and Robert Marzilli, Fire and Wine is by Lexitonian out of Double Latte, by The Factor. The Breeders’ Stakes success improved his record to three wins, no seconds and four thirds from 13 career starts.
Owner Paul Ryder was understandably pleased with the result, particularly given the demands of the 1½-mile distance.
“This is really something,” Ryder said.
“I wasn’t sure, when they came to him, he still had some left for the stretch, and a mile and a half on the lead. That’s pretty good. I think it’s really good.”
The result was allowed to stand following a Stewards’ Inquiry and an objection lodged by Fraser Aebly, rider of Imyourmedicineman, against runner-up Bond Market. No alteration was made to the finishing order.
The Canadian Triple Crown had not been completed since Wando swept the series in 2003. The 2026 campaign began on August 15 with Luster winning the King’s Plate on Woodbine’s all-weather main track. Luster’s connections then bypassed the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie, where Military Time claimed the second jewel on September 7.
Fire and Wine became the latest three-year-old to add a Canadian classic victory to the 2026 season, closing the Triple Crown series with a memorable performance at Woodbine.
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