No Nay Hudson (IRE), ridden by Pablo Morales, surged late to capture the $250,000 Nearctic Stakes Presented by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2T) on Saturday at Woodbine.
The five-furlong inner turf stakes for three-year-olds and upward attracted a competitive field of seven, including No Nay Hudson (IRE), who looked right at home in his first appearance at the Toronto oval.
Trained by Wesley Ward for Andrew Farm and For the People Racing Stable LLC, the well-travelled five-year-old bay gelding arrived at the Nearctic off a fourth in the Green Flash Handicap (G3T) at Del Mar on August 30, a race he finished third in the year prior.
Western Whirl and 2-5 choice Bring Theband Home locked horns early, with the two matching strides through a brisk opening panel in :21.65, while Morales No Nay Hudson (IRE) were last of all. The pacesetters continued their toe-to-toe tussle into the turn for home with little separating them, as No Nay Hudson (IRE) 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, as No Nay Hudson (IRE) and multiple graded stakes winner Nobals had both burst onto the scene. At the wire, No Nay Hudson (IRE), who had struck front 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 (IRE) rallied to finish fourth. The final time over firm ground was :56.19.
“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,” said Morales.
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. 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 (IRE) debuted on April 28, 2022, and recorded a four-length score at 4 ½ furlongs over the dirt. His stakes breakthrough came the following May in the William Walker (Listed) at Churchill Downs.
With the Nearctic score, No Nay Hudson (IRE), sired by No Nay Never out of the Malibu Moon mare Raw Silk, is now 5-4-2 from 19 starts. Bred by RJB Bloodstock, he was a $190,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale.
No Nay Hudson (IRE) paid $18.90 for the Nearctic win.
Breath Away (GB) and jockey Sahin Civaci winning the bet365 Dance Smartly stakes on October 4, 2025 at Woodbine. (Michael Burns Photo)
Breath Away (GB) breathtaking in Grade 2 Dance Smartly
It was a win-win for the connections of Breath Away (GB) in Saturday’s $200,000 bet365 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine.
With an automatic invitation to the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream in January on the line, Breath Away (GB) was at the top of her grass game in the Dance Smartly, contested over 1 1/16 miles on the Woodbine inner turf course.
Hurricane Clair, sent to the front early after starting from post three in the field of nine fillies and mares, led through early fractions of :23.13 and :47.50, with Breath Away (GB), under Sahin Civaci, 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 (GB) 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 in a time of 1:41.74 over firm going. Ready for Shirl was third, 2 ½ lengths behind Caitlinhergrtness. Five Towns (GB) 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,” said assistant trainer Lee Vickers. “Today, I think he [Civaci] gave a great ride from the one-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 (GB), a daughter of Bated Breath (GB) out of the Nayef mare Darling Grace (GB), is now 5-6-3 from 19 starts.
After winning her career bow – at 7 ½ furlongs over the turf on January 8, 2023 – Breath Away (GB) was second in her next start on February 12, before a victory in the Sanibel Island Stakes, also at 7 ½ 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 August 30 at Monmouth Park.
Breath Away (GB) returned $14 for her first graded stakes success.
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