TORONTO, November 5, 2025 – Seven fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and upward, will travel 1 ¼ miles on the main track in the $150,000 Maple Leaf Stakes (G3). The field includes a pair of Mark Casse trainees, Blitz and Dancing N Dixie. A dark bay daughter of Uncle Mo out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Customer Base, Blitz heads into her second straight stakes engagement off a strong runner-up effort in the H.B.P.A Stakes, a one mile and 70-yard feature for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, on October 6 at Presque Isle Downs. “She ran such a great race at Presque Isle,” said assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan. “We were very, very pleased. She showed a lot of heart.” Owned by Gary Barber, the dark bay filly broke her maiden in her third start, taking a 1 1/16-mile main track maiden special weight race by a half-length on November 4, 2023. This will be the fifth Woodbine appearance for Blitz, who romped to a five-length score, also at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, on July 12. “That was a very nice race,” said Sullivan. “We always knew that she had it in her and we were just waiting for it to come about. She is pretty lightly raced for a 4-year-old, but she has come into her own now.” Blitz and Ryan Munger. Michael Burns Photography Bred in Kentucky by Glen Hill Farm, Blitz was a $675,000 purchase at the 2023 OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. “She’s got talent, she’s beautiful, a real head-turning filly,” said Sullivan. “She is doing well and training well coming into the race. We’re very happy with her.” Brooklyn Howard is the groom. Multiple graded stakes placed Dancing N Dixie will make her 19th career start in the Maple Leaf. Owned by Gary Barber, Rocky Top Stable (Ventura) and LEMB Stables, the 4-year-old daughter of Neolithic out of the Uncaptured mare Foolhearted Woman has a 3-1-4 mark, accompanied by $407,083 in purse earnings. “She is very tenacious,” said Sullivan. “And she is a very well-traveled filly. She has run in some big races against some very tough horses. She hasn’t had the most consistent form line, but she tries every time.” Dancing N Dixie began her career with six consecutive starts at Gulfstream, which yielded a pair of wins, including the Our Dear Peggy Stakes on November 3, 2023. She won last year’s Tepin Stakes at Churchill Downs and followed it up with a third in the Saratoga Invitational Stakes (G2T). Dancing N Dixie. Coady Media photo. In her second start of 2025, Dancing N Dixie was a fast-closing second over the Gulfstream turf in the Powder Break Stakes. “She is a horse who comes with a big kick at the end,” noted Sullivan. “Her last race (sixth, six lengths back of the winner in the Grade 3 Ontario Matron on September 13) ended up in the middle of the track, having to come so wide. She is always near the back, but she spotted them a long way coming out of the gate. She left herself with a lot of work to do, so I think she was a bit unlucky in that race because she had to go so wide going into the last turn. “I think her race was a lot better than what her finish appeared on paper. She came home with a very nice kick.” Bred in Florida by Freddie Hyatt, the roan was a $35,000 purchase at the 2023 OBS June Two-Year-Olds & HRA Sale. “She is a feisty one,” said Sullivan. “She has a lot of personality, for sure. She is also doing well coming into the race.” Adella Williams is the groom. Casse has won five editions of the Maple Leaf, including his first, in 2006 with Howaboutrightnow and last year with Elysian Field. Conn Smythe, principal owner of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs from 1927 to 1961 and builder of Maple Leaf Gardens, leads all owners with seven Maple Leaf crowns. The race was inaugurated in 1892. The wagering menu for the race includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta, 0.20 Pick 3 (Races 7-8-9), 0.20 Pick 5 (Races 7-8-9-10-11) and $1 Swinger. First post is 1:05 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and bet365. Field for the Grade 3 Maple Leaf – Race 7 Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer 1 – Hurricane Clair – Eswan Flores – Marty Drexler 2 – For Flying (BRZ) – Sahin Civaci – Graham Motion 3 – Dancing N Dixie – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse 4 – Long Ago (GB) – Emma-Jayne Wilson – William Morey 5 – Blitz – Ryan Munger – Mark Casse 6 – Queens Command (IRE) – Fraser Aebly – Marty Drexler 7 – Sultana – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard -30- Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
