Woodbine: Uphill Dance, Clement pair clash in Ontario Fashion

Graded stakes-placed Uphill Dance chases her first stakes trophy in the Grade 3, US$107,188 Ontario Fashion (G3), a race that includes Miguel Clément duo Gal in a Rush and Les Reys, Saturday at Woodbine. 

The six-furlong main track event for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, has drawn nine starters including Uphill Dance, a daughter of Tonalist out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Stormy Below.

Click here for Woodbine entries and results.

Trained by multiple graded stakes winner Rachel Halden for Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable and Wachtel Stable, the 4-year-old filly heads into her seventh stakes engagement off a sharp allowance-optional claiming score on Sept. 6.

Sent off as the 9-5 choice in the 6 1/2-furlong main track race, Uphill Dance settled behind the leader early and dropped back mid-pack before she split rivals three wide at the top of the lane and drew off for a 3 1/4-length win in 1:16.12.

“Just how she did it that day was great to see,” said Halden. “I thought it was a very strong performance. She did it quite easily.”

Bred in Kentucky by Chet Blackey and Trackside Farm, Uphill Dance has recorded three breezes over the Woodbine turf training track since her most recent victory, including a five-furlong move in 1:01.40 on October 5.

“She came out of her last race in great shape and has worked back well,” noted Halden.

Halden is hopeful of a second consecutive strong showing on Saturday.

“She has improved with every race she has run here this season. This race seemed a logical next spot for her off her last performance and the timing was good. She just seems to be in a really good place right now.

“To me, she is a prime example of a horse for a course. Woodbine is where she has done her best running. It’s a place where she seems very content.”

Uphill Dance launched her career with a pair of wins, the first coming on Aug. 5, 2023, and the next just over six weeks later on September 22.

The following year, she was second in the Alywow Stakes, third in the Ontario Colleen (G3) and fourth in the Dogwood Stakes (G3).

Laura Faul is the groom.

Trainer Miguel Clément, who has enjoyed great success at Woodbine including a win with Breath Away in the Dance Smartly (G2) on October 4, sends out the formidable duo of Gal in a Rush and Les Reys.

Clément, whose Tawny Port rallied stoutly to finish second, a nose behind the winner, in the Canadian International (G1), also on Saturday at Woodbine, has been training Gal in a Rush, a 6-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper out of the Dynaformer mare Hudson River Gal, since his father, Christopher, passed away in May.

The bay mare, supplemented to the Ontario Fashion, recently notched her second graded-stakes tally when she took the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2) on September 19.

“She was very impressive, the race panned out beautifully, and Joel Rosario was able to put together a tremendous trip,” said Clément, “In terms of ratings, performance and numbers, it’s arguably her best race to date.”

Her first stakes success came in last year’s Hendrie (G3) at Woodbine, a 1 1/4-length score at 6 1/2 furlongs over the main track.

Gal in a Rush, who is 24: 5-7-4 along with $661,257 in purse earnings, is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Chris Larsen and Titletown Racing Stables.

Bred in Kentucky by Tom & Mary Lou Teal and Adena Springs, she was a $375,000 purchase at the 2021 OBS March Sale of 2-year-olds in training.

“The plan is for her to be sold at Keeneland,” said Clément. “It is bittersweet, without a doubt. We have two fillies that will be sold in November, Gal in a Rush and Breath Away. I think both fillies might be hitting their best stride at the moment, which is ironic. It will be tough to see them go for a lot of reasons.” ? 

Les Reys will make her fifth start in North America and first in Canada on Saturday.

A 4-year-old daughter of Penny’s Picnic out of the Verglas mare Allegria, the roan filly launched her career in France, where she won three of seven starts.

Her first North American start yielded a win in the 2024 Winter Memories Stakes, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies at Belmont at the Big A on September 13.

“She was very impressive,” praised Clément. “Her works are spectacular. I don’t think her races have been quite as good as her works. At some point, you stop trying to go against what she maybe always wanted to do, which is sprint.”

It was the second straight stakes score for Les Reys who won the Prix Volterra at Longchamp on June 9 for previous trainer Didier Guillemin.

“I’m not entirely sure about the synthetic, but I am rather confident she will handle the cutback in distance,” said Clément.

Bred in France by Athanase Poulopoulos and Haras du Hoguenet, Les Reys is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Peter Leidel and Winters Equine.

La Voyageuse won the first two editions of the Ontario Fashion in 1979 and 1980. She retired with 26 wins, 10 seconds and seven third place finishes from 56 starts and was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2009.