Woodbine’s Turf Champions Day, September 12, wrapped up in fitting manner with the very international mare GIMME A NOTHER (SAf) digging deep to win the prestigious E.P. TAYLOR STAKES (G1), named for the great man who built Woodbine and grew racing in Ontario. Successful American trainer GRAHAM MOTION was emotional about the six-year-old mare’s fourth consecutive graded stakes win in North America as she held on in a desperate finish to win by a neck and take home $450,000 and a free ticket to the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Keeneland at the end of October.
The Taylor was one of four Win and You’re In Grade 1 races over the popular E.P. Taylor turf course on Saturday, and many of the world’s top grass horses came and conquered.
Gimme a Nother, bred in South Africa by Jessica and Steven Jell, who bought Newstead Stables in Virginia five years ago, is a Group 1 winner in her home country and she was seven-for-seven when she came to the U.S. and trainer Motion. The daughter of Gimmethegreenlight (Aus) placed in two graded stakes races, but then faded over yielding turf in the New York Handicap last June. She visited Woodbine for the Canadian Stakes (G2) and was caught late by Ready for Shirl.
Since that race, Gimme a Nother has not lost. She won the John Mabee at Del Mar last September, the Eatontown after a long layoff in June 3 at Monmouth, and the Aug. 1 Beverly D. at Colonial Downs.
The October-born mare had the credentials to nab a Grade 1 over here and the turning point for the Taylor was the shrewd ride by Hall of Famer John Velazquez. The eight-horse field had very little speed in the mix and it was D.J. Stable’s Achieve, trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Javier Castellano, who tugged her way to the early lead. The owner, trainer and rider were already on a roll for the day, having taken the Grade 1 Natalma takes for two-year-old fillies with Voyager, also by Justify.
On a very firm course, Achieve wanted to go faster, but instead backed up the pace to a glacial 26.52 and 51.77, then through six furlongs in 1:16.60. Those pace fractions sealed the fate of the stretch runners such as Godolphin’s Diamond Rain and fellow Euro’s Jancis (Ire) and See the Fire (GB). Velazquez sat tucked in with his mare along the rail and right behind the leader, darted to the lead into the stretch and got to the wire first while See the Fire and Jancis roared from far back to be second and third, respectively.
“I love being in the one post,” said Motion. “Johnny just had a beautiful trip, and you have so much confidence when Johnny’s riding. But he said even today she was a better horse than she was last time. You know, she kind of took him there, and was just very impressive.”
The E.P. Taylor was win number 11 in 15 starts for Gimme a Nother, who was well-bet at 7-to-2, second choice behind Diamond Rain, who was flat in the stretch when unable to gain.
“To do what she has done, winning Group 1s on two different continents, it’s extraordinary,” said Motion. “And Steve and Jessica have been so patient. She’s very special.”
Woodbine’s Turf Champions Day, which featured a super T-shirt giveaway in the Hall of Fame and a few other promotions, was one of the track’s better racing days of the past two years. Many out-of-town horsepeople attended the races ‒ ICON Racing’s Jayson Werth held court on occasion in the Woodbine dining room ‒ and there were fans in the stands.
It was a great betting day, too. Over $13.9 million was wagered on the 12-race card that did not have to go neck-and-neck with New York racing on the day. That number was up from $13.02 million in 2025.
More News
