Thank you everyone for your messages. I can’t even pull myself together right now or know when I will ever be able too. Maple Leaf Mel’s health and happiness took priority over my own for the last two years and now I’m lost without her. She was a true Grade 1 champion 💔 – Melanie Giddings
Riders were getting a leg up for race 8 at Woodbine as the field of fillies turned for home in the prestigious Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. There was plenty of interest in the race as the undefeated grey filly MAPLE LEAF MEL was fending off all challengers. Maple Leaf Mel was named for her Canadian-born trainer MELANIE GIDDINGS by two-time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Parcells, who bought the daughter of Cross Traffic for $150,000 from the Fasig-Tipton Timonium two-year-old sale in Maryland in May, 2022.
At the time, Giddings was the assistant trainer to Jeremiah Englehart, and Parcells thought ‘Mel’ would be a good name for the New York-bred filly. Not only was Giddings a friend, but the young horsewoman had just beaten stage 4 endocervical and ovarian cancer.
Born in Cobourg, Ontario, Giddings was a jockey at Woodbine and Fort Erie for 112 races and worked for Mark Casse for several years before heading off to the U.S.
On Saturday, August 5, Maple Leaf Mel, 5-for-5 in her career and now trained by Giddings, was already a stakes winner and meeting the best fillies around in the Test. She was no doubt on her way to Grade 1 glory two strides before the finish line when tragedy struck. The filly broke her right front leg and fell to the ground, tossing Joel Rosario and then trying to get up to continue running.
It was Godolphin’s filly Pretty Mischievous who ended up winning the race but no one from that filly’s camp went near the winner’s circle afterwards.
Maple Leaf Mel was soon euthanized on the track as the damage to her leg was too severe.
In the Woodbine paddock, a wave of shock came over those who were sneaking a peak at the stretch run and cheering for Maple Leaf Mel.
Horsepeople called other horsepeople seeking comfort and some way to make sense of it. They talked about knowing Giddings when she was here, or being stable near her in Florida and how sorry they were for the young horsewoman.
Social media lit up. Dozens of Canadians from owners, trainers grooms and fans wrote comments.
“Heartbreaking. 😢. What Melanie went through to beat cancer. And then this. It’s just not fair. ” – owner Mark Romeo.
“My heart goes out to Melanie and her wonderful filly” – S.T.
Pretty Mischievous’s trainer Brendan Walsh said after the race, “It’s just cruel what happened. I just feel terrible for Melanie and that whole team,” Walsh said. “That must be gut-wrenching. My filly ran her race, but that’s another story. I don’t know what to think right now.”
The terrible tragedy brought awful memories to those who were at the Breeders’ Cup in New York all those years ago when Go for Wand broke down in her stretch duel with Bayakoa.
NYRA issued a statement following the day’s races which also featured White Abarrio winning the Grade 1 Whitney.
Maple Leaf Mel and the relationship she had with Giddings will long be remembered and cherished.
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