Multiple graded stakes-placed Dancin in Da’nile will look to earn his first stakes victory in the $125,000 Niagara, a 1 3/8-mile inner turf test for three-year-olds and up on Saturday at Woodbine.
A seven-year-old gelded son of Pioneerof the Nile out of the Awesome Again mare Dance Again, Dancin in Da’nile finished a rallying second in last year’s Niagara Stakes, which was contested at 1 1/4 miles.
“I have had him since he was two,” said trainer Gail Cox, who co-owns Dancin in Da’nile with Ralph Murray, John Menary and Michael Balaz. “He’s always been a bit quirky. These days, he needs to be saddled on the walk – that’s just how he is – and he needs a little time to get in the gate. But that is just him and that part of his personality doesn’t change. And neither does him putting in a big effort every time.”
Bred by Sam-Son Farm, the dark bay has compiled a record of 4-4-5 from 33 starts while earning $444,658. He is directly descended from Sam-Son’s legendary champion Dance Smartly, his fourth dam.
Dancin in Da’nile debuted with a victory on Aug. 29, 2021. He went on to finish second in that year’s Coronation Futurity Stakes and was fifth in the 2022 Queen’s Plate.
Among his other career highlights are a third-place finish in the 2025 Singspiel Stakes (G3T) and a runner-up effort at odds of 16-1 in the Louisville Stakes (G3T) on May 16.
“It was a fantastic effort in the Louisville,” said Cox. “He shipped well and put everything together for a really nice run that day. He’s just a nice older horse to have and you can always count on him to go out and give you nothing short of an honest effort.”
In his most recent start on June 13, Dancin in Da’nile finished third behind multiple graded stakes winner and recent Arlington Million (G1T) victor Burnham Square in the 1 3/8-mile Chorleywood Stakes at Churchill Downs.
“Burnham Square wasn’t supposed to run in that race,” noted Cox. “But that’s how it came up and Dancin in Da’nile ran his typical race, where he was all heart.”
Dancin in Da’nile last visited the winner’s circle on Nov. 2, 2024, capturing an inner turf allowance optional claimer over the same 1 3/8-mile distance as the Niagara Stakes.
Cox is hoping it’s more than a coincidence for the veteran campaigner, who has five top three placings in his past six starts.
“The farther the race, the better it is for him,” said the multiple graded stakes-winning conditioner. “He loves to go a distance.”
Carlos Balbuena is the groom.
Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will send out Swift Delivery.
Sporting a record of 4-1-4 from 19 starts, along with $256,479 in purse earnings, Swift Delivery arrives at his seventh graded engagement off a third in the Dominion Day Stakes on June 27.
“I thought his last race was good,” said Casse. “He’ll enjoy the grass and the further the better for this horse.”
Swift Delivery’s profile skyrocketed in August 2024 when NFL star Travis Kelce acquired an ownership stake in him alongside Team Valor International and Gary Barber (Steven Rocco and Bruce Zoldan also co-own). The purchase sparked widespread mainstream media attention due to the coincidental nod to Kelce’s now-wife, Taylor Swift.
A five-year-old son of Not This Time out of the Rockport Harbor mare Raegen Harper, the roan gelding took the 2025 edition of the Seagram Cup (G3).
Bred in Kentucky by Hunt-Steeple Hill, Swift Delivery was a $55,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton May Digital Selected Sale.
Recent works: Dancin in Da’nile covered 5 furlongs in 1:00.40 over the Woodbine turf training track on July 26. On Aug. 2, he traveled 4 furlongs in :49.80 on the Toronto oval main track.
“His turf works have been great, maybe even a little too good,” said Cox. “We had a quiet maintenance work on Sunday. We were hoping to work him on the turf and held out hope that we could, but there was just way too much rain. But with him, it doesn’t matter if it’s soft or firm, he loves the turf.”
Fast Facts: Stanley House earned his first stakes success in last year’s running of the Niagara. Who’s the Star, ridden by Emma-Jayne Wilson, won the 2022 edition at 13-1.
Wagering menu for the Niagara: Includes Rolling Double / Exacta / 0.20 Trifecta / 0.20 Superfecta / $1 Swinger.
Field for the $125,000 Niagara Stakes
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Roscar – David Moran – Rachel Halden
2 – Dancin in Da’nile – Pietro Moran – Gail Cox
3 – Side Street – Jose Campos – Rachel Halden
4 – English Actor – Fraser Aebly – Rachel Halden
5 – Faber – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Kevin Attard
6 – Swift Delivery – Eswan Flores – Mark Casse
7 – Sultana – Romero Ramsay Maragh – Kevin Attard
8 – Summer Cause – Sahin Civaci – Miguel Clement
9 – Junipero Serra – Leo Salles – Audrey Cheung
10 – Truly Quality – Rafael Hernandez – Jonathan Thomas
11 – Twowaycrossing – Ryan Munger – Richard Morden
12 (AE) – Watsonville Red – Eswan Flores – Mike De Paulo
Glitter and Glow and jockey David Moran winning Race 7 on July 4, 2026 at Woodbine. (Michael Burns Photo)
Glitter and Glow goes after Bison City crown
Glitter and Glow, a homebred for Chiefswood Stables, steps up to the stakes ranks in Saturday’s $250,000 Bison City, at Woodbine. A 1 1/16-mile main track event that follows the Woodbine Oaks as the middle leg of the Triple Tiara for three-year-old fillies foaled in Canada, the Bison City has attracted six hopefuls, including Glitter and Glow.
Trained by Rachel Halden, the chestnut heads into her third career start off an impressive maiden-breaking score on July 4. Sent on her way at 18-1 in the 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight main track race, the daughter of Nyquist out of the Curlin mare Western Curl took the lead heading into the first turn. Challenged at the quarter-pole, Glitter and Glow shrugged off that rival and then powered away down the lane for a four-length score in 1:51.38.
“She ended up doing it quite well,” said Halden. “She’s a tall filly with an athletic stride and she really got to use that stride down the lane. Her action looked very good.
“When you have these nice Canadian-bred three-year-olds, you are always thinking about the [Woodbine] Oaks, but with her, she came around a bit late to jump on the Oaks trail. She broke her maiden quite well, but unfortunately, it was two weeks before the Oaks. We wanted to do right by her, so we sat out that race and waited for this one.”
Glitter and Glow had a rough go in her debut, a 7-furlong maiden special weight race over the Toronto oval’s main track on May 23. Steadied past the eighth-pole in tight quarters, she finished seventh of 10.
“That was one of those races where she actually ran a better race than it looked on paper, said Halden, who finished third with Aristella in last year’s Bison City, before the daughter of More Than Ready went on to win the Wonder Where Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Tiara. “She got crowded a bit and ran green a little down the lane, but once she regained her composure, she ran on well at the end and galloped out very well.
“We thought that it might be short for her, but she was ready to get over there and find out what this game was all about. We knew she was looking for more ground, which led to her next start at a mile and an eighth.”
Adrian Falconer is the groom.
This year’s $250,000 Wonder Where will be run at 1 ¼ miles over the E.P. Taylor turf on Sept. 6 at Woodbine.
Recent works: Glitter and Glow covered 3 furlongs in :37.80 over the main track on July 25 and followed it up with a 5-furlong move over the same surface in 1:01.20 on Aug. 2.
“She’s worked well in the interim and we’ve been biding our time looking forward to this race,” said Halden. “We’re happy with the way she came out of her last race and how she is coming into this one.”
Fast Facts: Owner W.R. Beasley won three of the first four editions of the Bison City: Silly Sara in 1954, Black Coyote in 1955 and Pink Velvet in 1957. Trainer Mark Casse has won a record eight runnings of the race, including last year with Winterberry. Jockey Patrick Husbands has also won the race a record eight times.
Wagering menu for the Bison City: Includes Rolling Double / Exacta / 0.20 Trifecta / .20 Superfecta / 0.20 Pick 3 (Races 9-10-11) / $1 Swinger.
Field for the $250,000 Bison City Stakes
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Piper’s Gift – Rafael Hernandez – Dale Desruisseaux
2 – Katie’s Grace – Ryan Munger – Catherine Day Phillips
3 – Bold Time – Fraser Aebly – Josie Carroll
4 – Lake Louise – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse
5 – Bossy Candy – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
6 – Glitter and Glow – David Moran – Rachel Halden
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