MILTON, September 26, 2026— Odds-on favorite Nuance sprung to the lead from fast fractions and past weary rivals to skip away to a stake-record 1:51.1 victory in the $400,000 Grade I Elegantimage final, for 3-year-old trotting fillies, on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Storybook Love and Cher Hill dashed from wide draws for the front to a :26.3 first quarter while James MacDonald landed into seventh with Nuance. A shuffle for the lead ensued to a :54.4 half once Kngtstlkrs Games pounced out of fourth with Leading Lady in tow while Sharp Seven and Nuance also tipped outside but advanced steadily up the rim to the last turn. Leading Lady brushed by Kngtstlkrs Games and stretched her rivals to three-quarters in 1:22, putting Nuance uncovered with Sharp Seven ducking to the pylons. Kngtstlkrs Games jumped off stride spinning for home while Leading Lady reached desperately for the finish with the backfield swarming forward late. Nuance and Busy Miss Lissy S, who parked the mile out of post 10, soared down the center of the track approaching the final eighth, but Busy Miss Lissy S slipped into a gallop. Leading Lady gave way once Nuance motored up and by while kicking clear for a 2-1/2-length win going away with Storybook Love rallying from a ground-saving trip to snag second. Sharp Seven settled for third Upto Laura Hanover closed from last for fourth. Nuance and driver James MacDonald winning the Elegantimage on September 26, 2026 at Woodbine Mohawk Park (New Image Media) “It was just one of those races where I had to leave a bit to get away bad,” said James MacDonald, who won for the first time in the Elegantimage. “It was all the speed was on the outside. I thought they would mix it up early, and I just wanted to get in the flow, but I got away a little worse than I’d hoped. I knew I had a good horse, and they were speeding up front, so I was just hoping we had enough late kick to get there. Initially Dex[ter Dunn] his horse [Busy Miss Lissy S] were going by, and then she just got a little rough. So I was driving to be second, and then sometimes you’re in the right spot at the right time. Tonight was our night, and we got lucky.” Marcus Melander, also winning for the first time in the Elegantimage, trains Nuance for owner Courant Inc. The filly by Greenshoe-Hillarmbro collected her third win from 11 starts this season after going winless in her first eight tries and also scored her fifth victory from 21 starts in her career, amassing $404,668 in earnings. Her 1:51.1 victory, a lifetime best, also bested the previous stake record of 1:51.3 set in 2023 by Bond. “She’s been a big filly and we’re taking our time with her,” assistant trainer Mattias Melander said after the race. “She’s been a little immature. But, you know, I didn’t do a great job with her in the beginning of the year, so we had to do some changes, and now she’s blooming out. We had to change some rigging on her and whenever we did that, that’s when she started going good again.” Nuance returned $3.70 to win. By Ray Cotolo, for Woodbine Communications Share This:Share
