Two Grade 3 stakes races on Sunday that have been on the Woodbine calendar for a long time were the highlight races of last week. The Grey, first run in 1906, is a 1 1/16 mile race for two-year-olds and open to horses bred anywhere. The race has been won by some great Canadian-breds such as Sunny’s Halo, Regal Classic, Sky Classic, Talkin Man and Wando, but more often US-breds who ship in for the $175,000 race.
This year’s edition went to the English-bred THE BIG CON, believed to be the first European-bred to win the Grey, and this good-sized dark grey colt was sent north from Saratoga by Miguel Clement, a fan of Woodbine. Clement assigned the mount to one of his favourite riders, Sahin Civaci, who returned to Ontario after leaving to ride in New York just over a week ago.
The Big Con, a son of Group 1-winning juvenile Dark Angel (Ire) had won his career debut on Tapeta at Presque Isle racetrack in Erie, PA in a hand ride by almost nine lengths. Adding Lasix for the Grey, The Big Con was hammered down to 4-to-5 for the Grey, which drew only six other starters, three other winners.
The Big Con, owned by Reeves Thoroughbreds, Tony Weintraub and Brandon Dalinka, tracked longshot leader Gone With Duwyn from the rail early in the Grey, sat chilly around the last turn and then powered to the lead. After a few strides of appearing to dawdle, The Big Con kept his mind on the prize and held off debut winner Silent Tactic for the three-quarter length win in 1:46.57.
The Big Con was bought from last year’s Tattersalls October Sale in England for $154,639 by Reeves, Badger Bloodstock, et al, and sent to the U.S. The colt’s dam, Nakuti (Ire), by Mastercraftsman (Ire), raced in England, U.S. and Canada and was a Group 3 winner and third in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes at Woodbine in 2016.
Nakuti has produced four other named foals, one winner being Yellow Ribbon Stakes (G2) winner Heredia.
DIXIE LAYS IT DOWN
First time on the Tapeta surface was no bother for Garland and Marie Williamson’s homebred gal DIXIE LAW (Tiz the Law) who continued her roll with a win in the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes on Sunday. A month after beating the boys in the Cup & Saucer Stakes on the grass, Dixie Law rallied wide to win the fillies-only Mazarine by 1 1/4 lengths for owner/breeders Garland and Marie Williamson’s Hillsbrook Farm. Trained by Dale Desruisseaux, Dixie Law defeated the maiden Vanity and debut winner Katie’s Grace.
The time for Dixie Law’s 1 1/16 miles was just shy of The Big Con’s time; the filly went in 1:46.71.
Dixie Law is from the Union Rags mare Bit of Dixie, who did not race. Bit of Dixie’s first three foals are minor winners Sing Dixie, Country Living and Bit of Music.
In any other year, Dixie Law would be the top candidate for Champion two-year-old filly in Canada, except that Ontario-bred Corsia Veloce won the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes.
Woodbine Week Wrap
It was the Fraser Aebly and Rafael Hernandez show on Saturday at Woodbine, as the two riders won seven of the 11 races.
In total, Aebly won eight races last week and is riding better than anyone these days. A Sovereign Award finalist for top apprentice in 2024 and only in his third year riding at Woodbine, Aebly has blown past his own record for purse earnings in 2025, at $3.7 million, and he is a handful of wins shy of passing his career top.
There were 35 races run last week at Woodbine and only five trainers won more than one race. Martin Drexler won three races and Mark Casse, Bev Chubb, Joe Russo and Pat Dixon all doubled up.
From a wagering standpoint, the Friday-to-Sunday set of days, which included the two Breeders’ Cup simulcasts, collected approximately $12.7 million in bets. This marks a 25 percent decrease from $16.8 million for the same three days in 2024.
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