William T settled the Grade 3 Durham Cup in the final yards at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday, September 19, 2026, as the four-year-old grey/roan surged past Maycocks Bay to secure his first career stakes victory. Ridden by regular partner Fraser Aebly, William T covered the one-mile-and-one-sixteenth main-track distance in 1:42.54 and recorded a half-length victory in the $175,000 contest.
The five-horse field moved through the opening stages with William T positioned in third as Maycocks Bay took command. The Godolphin LLC-owned five-year-old chestnut gelding, who had captured the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes in late May, set the early pace under Pietro Moran. The opening quarter-mile was completed in :23.57, followed by a half-mile split of :47.86.
Sedburys Ghost, the 2025 King’s Plate Trial winner, remained close to Maycocks Bay through the middle stages, while William T continued to track the leading pair. The three-quarter-mile mark came in 1:11.71, leaving the field closely grouped as the runners approached the decisive stages of the race.
Inside the three-sixteenths pole, Aebly moved William T into second position along the rail and began to put pressure on Maycocks Bay. The rider then angled William T away from the fence with a furlong remaining, giving the gelding room to build his challenge.
Maycocks Bay continued to hold the advantage, but William T steadily reduced the gap. The grey/roan drew level in the final yards and edged ahead to secure the half-length success. Sedburys Ghost finished third, while War Court completed the top four.
The winning time stood at 1:42.54, with the mile split recorded at 1:35.95. The victory gave William T his first stakes success and marked his second consecutive win over a route distance. It was also his third victory in four career starts at the distance.
William T Completed His Breakthrough at Woodbine
The Durham Cup victory followed a period of steady progress for William T during his four-year-old campaign. He had opened the season with four consecutive runner-up finishes while competing over sprint distances before stepping up to a mile and one-sixteenth in his previous start.
That move produced a major breakthrough, as William T won the route contest by 5 1/4 lengths under Aebly. The performance led trainer Don MacRae and the connections to supplement the gelding to the Grade 3 Durham Cup, where he again handled the longer distance effectively.
Bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms Inc. and owned by Michael Lay, William T was a son of Frosted out of the Hard Spun mare Upper Brass. He had broken his maiden in July 2025 with a six-length victory in a local two-turn route, earning an opportunity against stronger company in the King’s Plate.
William T finished eighth in that event and was subsequently given time away from racing. MacRae later explained that the gelding had struck his sesamoid, the bone on the inside of his ankle, during the King’s Plate. The injury resulted in significant swelling and required a period of recovery.
The trainer credited veterinarian Candace Allen and her team for helping William T return to competition. The time away also allowed the horse to recover and mature before resuming his career.
Aebly had now partnered William T in nine of his 11 career starts and had been aboard for all three of his victories. Their latest success came against a compact field that included Maycocks Bay, who had already secured a Grade 2 victory at Woodbine earlier in the season.
MacRae also credited Kevin Attard for pointing the connections toward the Durham Cup. The decision to take on the Grade 3 contest resulted in another important victory for William T, who continued to progress after returning from his injury.
William T improved his lifetime record to three wins, five seconds and two thirds from 11 starts. The Durham Cup success also became the latest milestone in a season that had begun with a string of runner-up finishes before his form turned upward over longer distances.
William T completed a strong late finish at Woodbine Racetrack to defeat Maycocks Bay by half a length and secure his first career stakes victory in the Grade 3 Durham Cup.
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