Cool Kiss pulls off the upset in Grade 3 Durham Cup

September 20, 2025

TORONTO, September 20, 2025 – Cool Kiss, sent off at 17-1, got up in the final jumps to win Saturday’s $150,000 Durham Cup (G3) at Woodbine.

Multiple graded stakes winner Paramount Prince drove to the early lead in the 1 1/16-mile main track feature for 3-year-olds and up, with last year’s Durham Cup winner Dresden Row, the even-money choice, shadowing the pacesetter to his outside into the opening turn, as Cool Kiss settled into third.

Paramount Prince, the 2023 King’s Plate winner for Gary Barber and Michael Langlois, held a one-length lead over Dresden Row through an opening quarter in :24.08, while Sahin Civaci, aboard Cool Kiss, kept close tabs on the frontrunning duo from in third.

The lead pair continued on with their upfront battle after a half in :47.59, as Cool Kiss waited for his cue from a patient Civaci.

As the field came off the turn for home, Dresden Row took a narrow advantage over a game Paramount Prince, but Cool Kiss began to gain ground with a strong outside surge and was just over three lengths behind at the stretch call.

Cool Kiss kept coming and got up to best Dresden Row by a neck for the win. Paramount Prince was a further 4 ½ lengths back in third and Playmea Tune was fourth.

The final time was 1:42.74.

It was the first stakes triumph for the graded stakes placed son of Kantharos out of the Philanthropist mare Hot Kiss, who is trained by Martin Drexler for owners Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman.

“We took a shot,” said Drexler, who also sent out Classic Mo Town (fifth) and Skyro (sixth). “But this horse has not had any racing luck at all, and I always thought he could run, and I thought when he drew the one-hole that we had a very good chance of getting a good trip. So, that's kind of what it came down to and ultimately, it couldn't have set up any better. Sahin just sat there, like I told him, and the pace set up in front of him, and the whole thing worked out well.”

Drexler claimed the dark bay gelding for $40,000 last October on behalf of Chesney and Hoffman.

“As Marty said, we didn't get a lot of racing luck with him,” said Hoffman. “And we thought we'd take a shot in this race. And Sahin just rode a great race, and the horse was great.”

"We knew from the beginning that when we got post one, we gave one instruction, find a spot, stay on the rail the whole race, please, because he hasn't had one race where he's saved his ground,” added Chesney. “And today he did, and it was perfect.”

With the win, Cool Kiss, bred in Ontario by Phoenix Racing, is now 4-4-1 from 23 starts.

He paid $36.90 for today’s win.

Chris Lomon, Woodbine