E. P. Taylor Stakes (Grade 1)

Woodbine Saturday

THE talented four-year-old Karakontie filly She Feels Pretty held off a challenge from Charlie Appleby’s Diamond Rain by a head to win her fifth Grade 1 win race in the Woodbine contest.

She Feels Pretty stalked the pace in third under John Velazquez behind longshot Hurricane Clair and 2024 King’s Plate Stakes winner Caitlinhergrtness.

She took a lead after a mile and surged over a length clear with a furlong to go in the 10-furlong contest.

But Diamond Rain made a bold bid on the outside up the straight and just fell short of catching the winner by a head. She Feels Pretty carried the familiar colours of Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables for trainer Cherie DeVaux.

Velazquez said she became keen after a backstretch heel-clipping incident, “and from then on, it was a wrestling match with her.”

Diamond Rain, coming off two victories in Britain, broke nearly last in the field of seven. She recovered to grab a closer position under William Buick, before chasing the winner wide up the straight. Ready For Shirl edged Venencia for third, 10 and a half lengths behind the runner-up.

She Feels Pretty is now a dual Grade 1 winner at Woodbine, having also won the 2023 Natalma Stakes and has earnings of over $2.2 million. The Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar is in the long-term plan for her, with Diamond Rain more likely to stay in Europe.

Alabama Stakes (Grade 1)

Saratoga Saturday

ALTHOUGH all her best form was on turf, Nitrogen showed in June that she was equally effective on dirt when wonning the Wonder Again Stakes at Saratoga.

Returned to turf at Saratoga in July, the three-year-old daughter of Medaglia D’Oro lost out by a head to Fionn in the Belmont Oaks.

Last weekend she had another go on the Saratoga dirt in the 10-furlong Alabama Stakes and she won again, this time defeating Godolphin’s Kentucky Oaks winner Good Cheer by a length and a half.

“This is by far one of the most exciting because the calibre that were in this race,” owner Leonard Green said.

Mark Casse has trained some top fillies, and he said of Nitrogen. “As a three-year-old filly? The best I’ve ever had.”

Casse also trains La Cara and she played a role in the way Nitrogen’s race developed. Wide into the first turn to allow both fillies to settle, Jose Ortiz kept Nitrogen on La Cara’s tail through fractions moderate fractions.

Ortiz reported that he was not sure whether he could expect the same kick on the dirt as she’d shown on the turf, he said: “When I asked her for the first time, she jumped in the bridle. ... I needed another gear, and she gave it to me.”

Good Cheer was much better here than her fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes and tried hard, but could not just get close enough and Nitrogen also wavered of a straight line to just prevent the challenger getting a long straight run, Nitrogen winning by a length and a half clear. Darley stallion Medaglia d’Oro sired the one-two.

Nitrogen was Canada’s champion two-year-old filly despite finishing the year as a maiden. She was third to Lake Victoria in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Juvenile and this was her fifth graded win this season with her earnings now over $1.5 million.

King’s Plate win for

Attard and Moran

THE feature on the Woodbine card was the King’s Plate Stakes, which is Canada’s equivalent of the Kentucky Derby for three-year-olds foaled in Canada.

The 2025 running belonged to two American owners, father-and-son team, Bill and Al Ulwelling, winning with Mansetti, a colt named after their favourite restaurant in their home state of Minnesota.

Trained by Kevin Attard, the horse was ridden by 20-year-old Pietro Moran, and there is an Irish link as his dad, former Irish jockey David Moran, also rode in the race.

Moran used an inside draw to lead the 12 runners and was never headed, he cruised home by two and a half lengths in front of Tom’s Magic.

“I took a peek back down the lane and I saw no one was coming, and I couldn’t stop screaming to the wire,” the rider said.

The Canadian Triple Crown continues with the Sept. 9th Prince of Wales Stakes on dirt at Fort Erie before the Sept. 28th Breeders’ Stakes on turf at Woodbine.

Velocity surprises

in the Del Mar Oaks

Del Mar Oaks (Grade 1)

JOURNALISM has been the star performer for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and trainer Michael McCarthy this season but they also combined for another Grade 1 win when Velocity sprung a surprise in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks, winning by a half-length at 35/1.

Velocity, a daughter of Nyquist, defeated the ex-Irish Lush Lips by half a length under jockey Ricardo Gonzalez.

.” Gonzalez said.