Dixie Law returns to the sod, guts out Wonder Where win

TORONTO, September 6, 2026 – Dixie Law displayed her class and drew on her winning turf experience to capture Sunday’s $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes at Woodbine. ​

Piloted by Woodbine’s leading rider Pietro Moran for the third straight race, the bay broke alertly from post position 2 and settled in the second flight on the inside of La Culasse. A keen Cool Times cleared the field of six, opening up early on, in the 10-furlong turf route for three-year-old fillies, foaled in Canada. ​ ​

Under Rafael Hernandez, Cool Times led the field by five lengths through an opening quarter mile in :25.25 and extended the lead to seven and a half lengths through a half mile in :49.09. ​ ​ ​

Well in behind, Dixie Law raced on the rail with La Culasse to her outside. Bold Time was 4th on the fence with Bison City Stakes winner Katie’s Grace shadowing her in 5th. And the maiden Ashlee B trailed. ​ ​

The running order in the final jewel of the Canadian Triple Tiara remained status quo over six panels in 1:13.16, but the large lead Cool Times had built was diminishing rapidly. ​ ​

Two and a half furlongs from home, Dixie Law, the only turf winner in the field, was given her cue by Moran and the pair rolled by outside a tiring Cool Times and seized the lead inside the quarter pole, through a mile time of 1:38.58.

Katie’s Grace, brilliantly rated by Ryan Munger in her off-the-pace Bison City win, was enjoying a similar trip, while making her turf debut in the Wonder Where. Fanned out widest off the sweeping E.P. Taylor Turf Course turn, Munger had his filly perfectly coiled and three-sixteenths out, the battled was joined with Katie’s Grace outside and Dixie Law inside.

In the final eighth of a mile, a resolute Katie’s Grace gamely chipped away, but the stubborn Dale Desruisseaux-trained Dixie Law held on to score by a desperate neck in a final time of 2:03.75.

A 2025 Sovereign Finalist in the 2-year-old Filly category, Dixie Law, was ridden for the first time by Moran in the Woodbine Oaks, where they finished 2nd behind eventual King’s Plate winner Luster. The pair teamed again to finish 4th in the Plate, despite a rough trip. ​

The Wonder Where win was Moran’s first aboard the daughter of Tiz the Law and he credited his filly’s tenacity in holding off the runner up.

“When she (Katie’s Grace) first lined up to me, she (Dixie Law) was kind of waiting a little, but you know she’s a true example of a racehorse, she looked the other horse in the eye and fights,” said Moran. “She’s a lovely filly.” ​

Dixie Law (Tiz the Law – Bit of Dixie, by Union Rags) broke her maiden in her lifetime bow, winning a 6-furlong sprint over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course by one and a half lengths. ​After a sixth-place finish in the Grade 1-Natalma Stakes, the bay defeated males to win the 2025 Cup & Saucer Stakes on Woodbine’s inner turf. ​ ​ She encored by returning to the main track, winning the Grade 3-Mazarine Stakes, en route to being named a Sovereign finalist.

Under previous regular rider Rafael Hernandez, Dixie Law opened her sophomore campaign, winning the 7-furlong Ruling Angel Stakes by a nose. She was subsequently 3rd in the Grade 3-Selene Stakes with Hernandez. ​ ​

“Hopefully after this race her preferred surface is the grass, but she’s very versatile,” said Desruisseaux. ​ ​

After her 4th place finish in the Plate, Dixie Law showed one published breeze on August 30th, a 3-furlong move (:36.00) over the local training turf. ​

“We kind of went a little easy on her, she hasn’t missed a dance this year,” said the conditioner. “We kind of backed off her a little bit between the race and gave her an easy 2-minute lick over the grass.” ​ ​

Bred in Ontario by Garland E. Williamson and owned by Hillsbrook Farms, Dixie Law improved to 5-1-1 from 10 career starts and earned her 3rd turf triumph in four trips over the lawn. ​ ​ ​

“She likes the grass,” said Williamson. “We’re gonna race her again next year, she’ll be a 4-year-old and we’ll go from there,” assured the veteran breeder, who won the 2006 Wonder Where with Like a Gem. ​ ​

Dixie Law, who went over the half million-dollar mark in career earnings, was 9-5 on the morning line, went off as the 8-5 favourite and returned $5.50 for the win. Katie’s Grace was a valiant 2nd, Ashlee B closed to be 3rd and Bold Time was 4th. ​

Phil McSween, Woodbine