TORONTO, ON – Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry’s homebred Dixie Moon landed her second career stakes win on Sunday in an exciting running of the $125,000 Ontario Lassie Stakes at Woodbine.
Breaking cleanly from post 6 under Eurico Da Silva, Dixie Moon tracked a 1/2-length behind early leader Fairy Hill through initial splits of :25.84 and :51.04. Dixie Moon made her bid for the lead nearing the far turn, with Loopety Loo nearly stride for stride to her outside. Upon hitting the top of the stretch, Dixie Moon began inching away from Loopety Loo, then had just enough left in the tank to bet Queen’s Fate to the wire by a nose in a final time of 1:45.43 for the 1 1/16-mile race over the all-weather surface.
“She’s a tremendous filly,” said winning trainer Catherine Day Phillips. “She’s had a long campaign, and I think that maybe showed on her a little bit today, but she’s had a long campaign and she showed up every time.”
Queen’s Fate’s ground-saving trip under Rafael Hernandez nearly paid off. The runner-up finished 3 lengths ahead of Loopety Loo, with Gosudarina, Lunar Garden, Safe to Say, and Fairy Hill completing the order of finish.
Dixie Moon’s win was her third at Woodbine, including the $100,000 Cup and Saucer on October 8. The juvenile daughter of Curlin now has a record of 5-3-1-0 with earnings of $260,850, with her only off-the-board finish coming last out in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The victory was her trainer’s career-best 24th this year, six of those in stakes.
“We knew we had nice 2-year-olds,” Day Phillips said. “I think in June when we were doing really well going into Queen’s Plate, I don’t know that we would see it was a completely different lineup by the end of the fall that would be doing so well. That was a little bit unexpected, but we’ll have some of those horses back from earlier this year, and these ones hopefully for next year, as well.”
Dixie Moon returned $3 to win and $2.20 to place, while Queen’s Fate paid $3.60 to place. There was no show betting.
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