TORONTO, May 31, 2025 – Ms. Tart, at 70-1, stormed home late to take the $150,000 HPIbet Royal North (G3T) Stakes on Saturday afternoon at Woodbine. The first turf stakes of the 2025 Woodbine season did not disappoint. After finishing off the board in the 2023 Natalma Stakes (G1T) and third in the Whimsical Stakes (G3) earlier this month, the third time at Woodbine was the charm for Ms. Tart, the longest shot on the board, who rallied stoutly to net top prize in the 6 ½-furlong race for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, besting 12-1 Ready to Jam and 39-1 Ticker Tape Home. Graded stakes winner Toupie, the 5-2 second choice, was hustled to the front, and was soon shadowed by 4-5 choice Earhart (FR) and Dancing Duchess through an opening panel reached in :22.11. Ms. Tart, under Huber Villa-Gomez, sat ninth of 10. Toupie and Earhart (FR) continued to wage their upfront battle beyond the half in :44.49, but a host of rivals soon converged on the leaders in early stretch. Ms. Tart, seventh at Robert Geller’s stretch call, had plenty of work left to do, but the 4-year-old filly proved up to the task with an energetic outside rush that translated into a half-length win in a time of 1:15.56 over an E.P. Taylor turf listed as good. Ready to Jam was a half-length ahead of Ticker Tape Home for second, with Gal in a Rush a neck further back in fourth. It was the first stakes success for the daughter of Maximus Mischief out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Sheza Sweet Lemon. Ms. Tart and jockey Huber Villa-Gomez winning the HPIbet Royal North Stakes on May 31, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) “When I see everybody getting back, I said, ‘Wow, I still have more horse,’” said Villa-Gomez. “I didn’t have anywhere to go. When I put her in the clear, she was, ‘Okay, let’s go.’” “It’s amazing,” said trainer Kevin Rice. “It’s my first graded stakes win, and it was just exciting watching, because, you know, going the gate, we’re 40-something to one, and I’m not sure how we’re going to do here, you know, full field and trying the turf here, but it was just amazing.” Owned by Nathan McCauley, Ms. Tart is now 6-0-2 from 16 starts. Bred in Kentucky by Sovereign Farm, LLC, she was a $145,000 purchase at the Keeneland Association January 2022 Horses of All Ages Sale. Ms. Tart paid $143.30 for the win. Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
