TORONTO -- After falling just short in last months $1-million Queens Plate, jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva and Up With the Birds left nothing to chance Sunday in the $500,000 Breeders Stakes. Da Rosa moved Up With the Birds into the lead down the stretch, then emphatically held off a spirited River Seven to win the final leg of Canadian thoroughbred racings Triple Crown at Woodbine Racetrack. The Queens Plate runner-up easily handled the 1 1/2-mile distance, winning in 2:28.69 on a firm turf. "I think he knew he lost last time (in Queens Plate) so he said, This time Eurico, I do the job, " Da Silva said. "When he took the lead, it was hard for another horse to catch him because he wants to take off. Hes all heart, hes a very good horse." Up With the Birds fell well back in the 1 1/4-mile Queens Plate on July 7 but rallied strong to finish second, a half-length behind Midnight Aria in rainy conditions on a speed-favouring Woodbine polytrack. The race took its toll on Midnight Aria, who skipped the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes on July 30 at Fort Erie Racetrack due to fatigue while Up With the Birds was always being pointed towards the Breeders Stakes. Up With the Birds didnt have to contend with either Midnight Aria or Prince of Wales victor Uncaptured as neither ran Sunday. Winning trainer Malcolm Pierce said the rest certainly helped Up With the Birds easily pass his stiffest test. In fact, after taking the lead the three-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic showed why he was the overwhelming favourite, holding off a game River Seven before pulling away for a 2 3/4-length victory. "He answered (questions about distance) them today," Pierce said. "I was real worried at the head of the stretch because River Seven was giving him all he wanted but the last eighth of a mile I got a little more relief as he pulled away. "We didnt think there would be much pace so we were sure hoping to maybe be a little closer than we were in the Plate and just have some luck and a good trip. Thats half the battle because we thought we had the right horse." Owner Sam-Son Farm earned the $300,000 winners share with a record sixth Breeders victory. River Seven was second in the 10-horse field, a neck ahead of third-place finisher Pyrite Mountain. The remainder of the field, in order of finish, was: Global Express; Whos Mr. Hughes; Highland Bay; Dragon Puff; Scipio; Bookies Nightmare; and Faithful Rose. Wando is the last Canadian Triple Crown winner, achieving the feat in 2003. Pierce said had Up With the Birds won the Plate, he wouldve run at Fort Erie and taken a run at the Triple Crown. But with a first- and second-place finish, Pierce wasnt lamenting about what mightve been. "Weve never really tried him on dirt," Pierce said. "He worked on dirt in New Orleans over the winter but we didnt think it really needed to happen. "If we wouldve won the Queens Plate we probably wouldve gone to Fort Erie and tried it but after getting beat (in Plate) it sure made a lot of sense to come into this race really fresh." Up With the Birds paid $3.10, $2.30 and $2.10 while River Seven returned $5.20 and $3.40. Pyrite Mountain paid $3.10. River Seven was the only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this year, taking second in the Prince of Wales after finishing 10th in the Plate. But trainer Nick Gonzalez, who also conditioned Midnight Aria, was pleased with River Sevens first effort on grass. "I knew it was going to be a fight," he said. "A lot of the horses in the race were proven accomplished turf horses. "We were experimenting but Im very happy." Gary Boulanger, Pyrite Mountains jockey, said Up With the Birds was a deserving winner but added with a little bit of luck his horse couldve taken second. "I was following Eurico (Up With the Birds), I was stuck there the whole way," he said. "If I had a little better trip down the lane, I dont think Id beat Eurico but Id have finished second." Up With the Birds also continued a trend in this race, becoming the 26th of 55 race favourites in the Triple Crown era to emerge victorious. The three-year-old colt has also finished in the money in all eight career starts (five wins, two seconds, one third) and boosted his lifetime earnings past $870,000. Up With the Birds has also been impressive on turf, winning twice and earning a second-place finish in three career starts. "I dont know, I think hes equally adept at both poly and turf to be honest," Pierce said when asked which surface Up With the Birds favours most. "He has never run on dirt. "I was very proud of his race in the Plate although I was disappointed he got beat. Hes just a good horse and Im happy hes in my barn." Pierce was brutally honest when asked whats next for Up With the Birds. "Not a clue, I was just hoping to get through today," he said. "There will be no rush and no real plans. "We wouldnt be looking for anything until October. Ill have to talk to the Sam-Son people and see what they want to do and make a plan." Odubel Herrera Jersey . Halladays resume as a Blue Jay is among the elite in the franchises 36-year history. Over 12 seasons in Toronto, he was named an All-Star six times. He had arguably the finest campaign of his career in 2003 when he posted a 22-7 record, a 3. Larry Bowa Jersey . -- Theres nothing like winning to bring hope for a struggling team. http://www.philliesrookiestore.com/Phill...rsey/.Currently no, Tatjana Haenni, FIFAs deputy director of the competitions division and head of womens competitions, said Tuesday in an interview from Ottawa. Jim Thome Jersey . - Maynor Figueroa headed in a late goal to give Honduras a 1-1 draw with the United States in an international friendly Tuesday. Tommy Joseph Jersey . A spokeswoman for the NLRB says its "a very incremental move" and does not necessarily indicate the board is close to a finding in the case. NFL owners filed an unfair labour charge against the players union in February, arguing that the union was not negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement in good faith.The Toronto Raptors are reportedly in talks with the Memphis Grizzlies that could see them add a first round draft pick and a veteran forward on draft day. According to ESPNs Marc Stein, the Raptors could send John Salmons and their 37th pick to the Grizzlies for Tayshaun Prince and the No. 22 pick. Toronto already owns the 20th pick and have reportedly shown interest in drafting Canadian Tyler Ennis. Prince, 344, averaged six points, 1.dddddddddddd6 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game in 76 games played this season. Salmons, 34, came to Toronto in the deal that sent Rudy Gay to the Sacramento Kings. He averaged 5.2 PPG, 1.9 APG and 2.1 RPG in 78 games with the Kings and Raptors this season. The addition would add approximately $7 million to Torontos payroll next year, but Princes deal expires after 2014-15. ' ' '