Woodbine undercard: No Nay Hudson, Breathaway win stakes

No Nay Hudson, ridden by Pablo Morales, surged late to capture the US$183,520 Nearctic Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.

The five-furlong, inner-turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up attracted a competitive field of seven. No Nay Hudson looked right at home in his first appearance at the Toronto oval.

Click here for Woodbine entries and results.

Trained by Wesley Ward for Andrew Farm and For the People Racing Stable, the well-traveled 5-year-old bay gelding arrived at the Nearctic off a fourth in the Green Flash Handicap (G3) at Del Mar on Aug. 30, a race in which he finished third last year.

Western Whirl and 2-5 favorite Bring Theband Home locked horns early with the two matching strides through a brisk opening quarter-mile in 21.65 seconds. Morales and No Nay Hudson were last of all.

The pacesetters continued their toe-to-toe tussle into the turn for home with little separating them. No Nay Hudson began to wind up mid-pack four to five wide.

Western Whirl, along the rail, and Bring Theband Home found themselves under siege with about 175 yards to the wire. No Nay Hudson and multiple graded-stakes winner Nobals both burst onto the scene.

At the wire No Nay Hudson, who had struck the front just past the sixteenth pole, eked out a neck win. Nobals finished a neck ahead of a game Western Whirl for the runner-up spot. The Striking Viking rallied to finish fourth.

The final time over firm ground was 56.19 seconds.

“If you happen to go back and watch the head-on, the inside horse breaks out really, really hard, and I got pinched bad out of there, crossing heels for a couple of jumps, so I had no other choice but to take a little hold and take plan B,” Morales said.

The plan ultimately worked to perfection.

“I felt that they were flying, so I felt like I had a really good shot to win this,” Morales said. “I kind of let my horse get it straight underneath and in the turn picked it up, and I’m thinking I’m going to get this, because they have to come back a little bit. I have tons of horse, so the horse will outrun them in the end, and I’ll finish them.”

No Nay Hudson made his debut April 28, 2022, and recorded a four-length score at 4 1/2 furlongs over the dirt. His stakes breakthrough came the following May in the listed William Walker at Churchill Downs.

No Nay Hudson, sired by No Nay Never out of Malibu Moon mare Raw Silk, is 19: 5-4-2 from 19.

Bred by RJB Bloodstock, he was a $190,000 purchase at the September 2021 Keeneland yearling sale.

No Nay Hudson paid $18.90 for the Nearctic win.

Breath Away delivers in Dance Smartly

It was a win-win for the connections of Breath Away in the US$149,754 Dance Smartly (G2) turf stakes.

With an automatic invitation to the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G2) at Gulfstream Park in January on the line, Breath Away was at the top of her grass game in the Dance Smartly contested over 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf.

Hurricane Clair, sent to the front early after starting from post 3 in the field of nine fillies and mares, led through early fractions of 23.13 and 47.50 seconds. Breath Away under Sahin Civaci was last of all.

Heading into the turn for home, Caitlinhergrtness glided up on the outside and breezed by the leaders to take the advantage for the drive to the wire. Last year’s King’s Plate winner began to kick away from her pursuers, but Breath Away had found her best stride and began to methodically pick off her foes down the lane.

Sixth at the stretch call, the 5-year-old dark bay mare kept driving and went on to notch a half-length score at a time of 1:41.74. Ready for Shirl was third, 2 1/2 lengths behind Caitlinhergrtness. Five Towns was fourth.

"She was very smart in her first couple of starts around Gulfstream, where you really need a turn of foot, and she’s demonstrated that again on numerous occasions,” assistant trainer Lee Vickers said. “Today I think (Civaci) gave a great ride from the 1 hole, saved every inch of ground and conserved that energy for that turn of foot late on, which was incredible. It was really good.

“When she’s right, she’s really, really good, and today she was right.”

Arriving at the Dance Smartly a multiple graded-stakes-placed mare for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco and Marc Levine, Breath Away is 19: 5-6-3. She is a daughter of Bated Breath out of Nayef mare Darling Grace.

After winning her career bow at 7 1/2 furlongs over the turf Jan. 8, 2023, Breath Away was second in her next start Feb. 12. That came before a victory in the Sanibel Island, also at 7 1/2 furlongs on the grass, on April 1.

Bred by Highgate Stud, she came into the Dance Smartly off an impressive victory in the Violet Stakes on Aug. 30 at Monmouth Park.

Breath Away returned $14.00 for her first graded-stakes success.