Favoured Kentucky shipper Raiding Party (IRE) lived up her name, scoring impressively in her Woodbine debut to win Saturday’s $125,000 Ontario Damsel Stakes at Woodbine. Ridden for the first time by Ryan Munger, the chestnut filly broke slightly inward from the rail post, as the field of six departed the starting gate, in the one mile and one sixteenth main track route for three-year-old fillies.
Cool Times, one of two Chiefswood Stables Limited entrants, cleared the field into the clubhouse turn and led by three lengths through an opening quarter mile in :23.67. Recent Wonder Where Stakes winner Dixie Law was second. Raiding Party (IRE) saved ground in third. Hot Mash, Ontology and Bold Time comprised the tightly-bunched tailing troika.
Up the backstretch, Cool Times, under Jose Campos opened a five-length lead, passing the opening half mile marker in :46.75. Midway around the far turn, Dixie Law, followed by Raiding Party (IRE), began to quicken, cutting into the lead as Cool Times remained in front through three-quarters in 1:11.05.
At the top of the lane, Raiding Party (IRE) bid three-wide outside of Dixie Law as that duo respectively collared and passed a tiring Cool Times. A half furlong out, the Brendan Walsh trained Raiding Party (IRE) maintained a slight advantage over an ultra-game Dixie Law, with the aforementioned going on to win by a hard fought three-quarters of a length. The mile time was 1:35.97. The final running time in the eight and half furlong route was 1:42.52.
Dixie Law, a Sovereign Finalist in 2025, was second. Pacesetter Cool Times held for third. Hot Mash was fourth.
Making her synthetic debut after racing on turf in her first five career starts, Raiding Party (IRE) improved to 3-1-1 in six career starts, while earning her first career black type win.
“Yeah, that’s how I thought the race would pan out,” said Munger.
“I ended up behind Dixie Law which was a perfect spot in the race and I just said I’m not going to worry about the front horse, I’m just going to follow Dixie Law around. And that’s what I did and we joined up at the top of the lane and I said you know what let’s go on by her and she did that so it was a good win but Brendan Walsh thank you so much to you. You brought her over in fantastic condition.”
Bred in Ireland by Barry Moorhead, Raiding Party (IRE) broke her maiden at first asking winning a turf route at Keeneland in her only start at age two. The daughter of Sioux Nation opened her three-year-old campaign at Churchill Downs running second in her debut vs winners, then winning a mile turf allowance race. Recently she was a closing third in the Grade 2 San Clemente at Del Mar, then sixth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks.
“I watched all her replays,” said Munger. “She’s from race one to her last run and man she’s been running with some good fillies, and you know not having the smoothest of trips as well. So today I really thought it was between myself and the second horse and it proved to be a match race, but she got the job done.”
Owned by Larry R. Rodgers, Coast Racing (Jamie Lamonica) and Fick Farms, Raiding Party (IRE) (Sioux Nation – War Empress (IRE), by War Command) appeared at 9-5 on the morning line, was bet down to 6-5 and returned $4.50 for the win.
Raiding Party (IRE) and jockey Ryan Munger winning the Ontario Damsel Stakes on October 10, 2026 at Woodbine. (Michael Burns Photo)
Crystal Visions breaks through in first running of the Silver Creek
Crystal Visions capitalized off of a picture-perfect trip to earn her first career stakes’ win in the inaugural $150,000 Silver Creek Stakes Saturday at Woodbine. Piloted for the tenth consecutive engagement by Keveh Nicholls, the dark bay/brown filly broke alertly from post position one and was third on the rail through an opening quarter mile in :23.87.
Dazzling Move cleared the field from post position eight and led into the backstretch. Hurricane Clair was second, Crystal Visions saved ground in third. Fortyfiveseventy raced fourth, followed by War Painter and Speedy Freeze trailed.
Earlier, Ella It Is and Olivia Rose were scratched leaving a field of six to contest the one mile and one sixteenth main track route for fillies and mares four-year-olds and upward, registered Ontario-bred.
Dazzling Move continued to show the way through a half mile in :47.84 and six furlong time of 1:12.06, with Hurricane Clair in pursuit outside and Crystal Visions skimming the rail.
Three-sixteenths from the wire, Nicholls angled Crystal Visions off the fence and into the two path, while drawing closer to Dazzling Move who was in a full out drive under Jose Campos. A half furlong out, the Stu Simon trained Crystal Visions struck front and the four-year-old filly went on to prevail in a driving finish by three-quarters of a length over a stubborn Dazzling Move, who was a neck better than Hurricane Clair. Speedy Freeze completed the superfecta.
The win was sweet vindication for Nicholls who had guided the hard knocking daughter of Bee Jersey to five straight runner finishes versus allowance company before respective 7th and 8th place finishes in the Grade 3-Trillium and restricted Belfountain Stakes.
“The last two starts were kind of disappointing, but she made up for that today,” said Nicholls. “She ran a grand race, and Stu just told me to get away from there keep her on the inside and when the hole opens up just go for it and she ran excellent today.”
“Stu had her in tip-top shape today and she fought hard to the wire.”
Bred in Ontario by Charles Fipke, Crystal Visions graduated in her lifetime bow beating a field of eleven, in a five a half furlong main track sprint, with Eswan Flores up. She wrapped her juvenile campaign finishing third in the two turn Princess Elizabeth Stakes.
The Silver Creek score halted an eight-race losing streak for Crystal Visions and helped alleviate the disappointment of her two most recent efforts. “Two starts ago it was my fault. I ran her back too quick,” confessed Simon.
“She’s bounced off that big race she ran against Lupa (IRE). Speed favouring race track. We all know what Lupa went on to do.”
“Then I just had no place to run her. So I run her on the outside (turf) course not having a good feeling about it, but there was just no other spot. And she just doesn’t like that outside turf course. I knew things were going to be good today.”
“She’s been a hard luck horse that just deserved to be a stakes winner,” said Simon who is co-owner along with longtime client Brent McLellan.
Crystal Visions (Bee Jersey – You Make Luvin Fun, by A.P. Indy) improved to 3-6-3 from 18 career starts, while notching her first win in five attempts at the distance. The dark/bay brown filly was 20-1 on the local morning line, went off at 7-1 and returned $15.90 for the win.
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