TORONTO, September 21, 2025 – Little Teddy, under Austin Adams, watched a blistering pace unfold before pouncing on the pacesetters to win Sunday’s $100,000 Zadracarta Stakes at Woodbine. The Zadracarta, a five-furlong inner turf event for Ontario-bred fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, went postward with seven hopefuls, including Little Teddy, who went off as the 5-2 second choice on the tote board. Pop Idol, the 8-5 choice, and Thermal went toe-to-toe as soon as the gates sprung, the duo zipping through an opening quarter in :21.68, while Little Teddy, trained by Santino Di Paola, settled into fourth in the early going. The lead pair continued to match strides while Adams played the waiting game with Little Teddy, saving ground and energy for the stretch drive as her rivals kept their spirited tussle going heading into the turn for home. Little Teddy, who has posted a pair of seconds in her two most recent efforts, the Ballade Stakes on July 13 and the Algoma Stakes on August 24, exploded along the inside in early stretch and blew by her foes with ease, en route to a dominating 5 ½-length score. Olivia Rose was second, Thermal was third and Pop Idol finished fourth. Little Teddy and jockey Austin Adams winning the Zadracarta Stakes on September 21, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) The final time of :55.63 over firm going was just off the track record of :55.40 set by Silent Flash on June 17, 2022. For Adams, it was the first stakes victory of his career. “This one is so special,” said Adams, who pumped his fist at the wire. “I know this filly so well. It means a lot winning my first stake for the Santino barn and the family – they have been so loyal to me. “This my first time riding her on the turf and Santino did say she has a kick on the turf. I felt I had a lot of horse and the rail opened up and I knew when I asked her, she exploded. I didn’t need to look back – we were good. She gave a big kick.” Di Paola trains the 4-year-old for his parents’ York Tech Stable, nom du course of Carmen and Raffaela Di Paola. “My parents have invested a lot of money in me, my brother and my sister to do this for the last eight years,” said Di Paola. “It took a little while for my dad to get over here, but to see him get into the stakes winner’s circle means everything. I’m so elated for Austin. I told him, ‘It’s coming, buddy. It’s coming.’ “The last two starts, she wasn’t totally herself,” continued Di Paola. “Just little barn issues. But today, we knew we had the real Little Teddy and she showed it.” After a seventh to launch her career in 2023, Little Teddy won next time out, at 48-1, before concluding her 2-year-old campaign with a third in the Shady Well Stakes. The daughter of Frac Daddy out of the Silent Name (JPN) mare Explosive Leah delivered her connections with a special victory in last year’s Georgian Bay Stakes. In what was her first test on the grass, she earned a neck win in the five-furlong sprint over the Woodbine inner turf, which also marked the first Woodbine stakes crown for York Tech Racing Stable. Bred in Ontario by Susan Rasmussen and H. Lothian, Little Teddy, now 6-4-2 from 14 starts, was a $15,000 (CDN) purchase at the 2022 CTHS Canadian Premier Yearling Sale. She returned $7.60 for today’s win. Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
