September 8, 2026
Military Time and Storm’s Wake, both graduates of the Hidden Brook Farm program, scored Stakes victories on Monday, September 7.
Military Time stalked a pressured pace from the inside, tipped to the four path at the top of the stretch and turned back a late rally from Brachetto for a half-length win Monday in the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, at Fort Erie.
Fraser Aebly rode the victory for trainer Mark Casse and owners Gary Barber and St. Elias Stable in the 1 3/16-mile race for eight 3-year-olds foaled in Canada. The colt by Gun Runner was purchased from Hidden Brook Farm for $350,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling sale.
Military Time collected $300,000 for the win and reversed his runner-up finish behind Luster in the King’s Plate. The track record of 1:53.20, set by Bruce’s Mill in 1994, stood.
“He jumped away good at the gate, and I knew I wanted to be forwardly placed because of how the track has been playing today. We found our position and he settled beautifully for me,” Aebly said. “I knew the one inside me at the quarter pole was quickening pretty good too, but I knew I had enough horse to keep my position, and he kept running.”
Some 385 miles to the south at Colonial Downs, Storm’s Wake earned her second Stakes trophy in the $250,000 Old Dominion Oaks.
The 3-5 favorite was confidently handled by jockey Samuel Marin and competed gamely to get wine.
“She was coming off the layoff, but we had enough training in her, and she was game enough to get it done,” trained Brian Lynch said. “We’re all very excited about it. She’s starting to put a nice little résumé together.”
Storm’s Wake’s first start off a two-month layoff was also her first in listed stakes company in eight months. Lynch has not been afraid to test his 3-year-old filly this year and entered her in six straight graded stakes between February and July. She never finished worse than fifth during that stretch and won the Grade 2 Appalachian at Keeneland in April, making her the class of the field in her return to Colonial.
Winner of the Grade 2 Apalachian S. at Keeneland in April, Storm’s Wake was foaled and raised at Hidden Brook Farm for owner/breeder William Werner
Before the race, Lynch said he was thinking of using the Old Dominion Oaks as a prep for the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland in October. If he proceeds with that plan, Storm’s Wake will re-enter graded stakes competition after surviving a supremely stiff test at Colonial.
Siouxse, a 15-1 longshot trained by Graham Motion, never seriously contended for a victory but picked up the pieces to finish third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Soloist and 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Thankfulness.