Nantuckets Day chases Belfountain Stakes win

TORONTO, September 11, 2026 – Nantuckets Day, coming off two encouraging allowance efforts, looks to elevate her game to new heights in the $150,000 Belfountain Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine.

Trained by Patrick Dixon, Nantuckets Day will make her stakes debut in the 1 1/8-mile E.P. Taylor turf feature for Ontario-bred fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up.

A daughter of Yoshida (JPN) out of the Shamardal mare Fancy Day (IRE), the 5-year-old’s current form has drawn praise from her conditioner. ​

“I find that she’s in the best shape of her life,” lauded Dixon. “If she’s going to ever be stakes placed, this is the race where she’s going to either hit the board or do something very good.

“I’m quite positive about her running. I think she’ll run a good race.”

Nantuckets Day tracked down her first win of the season on July 11, covering one mile on the inner turf in 1:37.26 before posting a fifth last time out on August 14.

While not the result Dixon had hoped for, the latter outing more than passed the eye test.

“Her last race actually wasn’t a bad race,” said the stakes-winning trainer. “It probably was a bit too short for her [seven furlongs], and she was run off her feet early, but she did close very well last time.”

The July triumph, which followed an eighth in the bay’s season debut, was Nantuckets Day at her best.

“We were optimistic, and maybe everybody was down on her a little bit and thought she hadn’t really shown what we thought she did,” said Dixon. “But that day she really showed up, she showed good determination, and she likes to be in the fight.”

Nantuckets Day’s will to win has never wavered. As Dixon sees it, getting on track has simply been a matter of playing to her strengths.

“She’s always been a nice filly,” he said. “Last year, she beat a horse [Saccharine] that was second in the (2024) Breeders’ Stakes and we thought we just got unlucky with her being a maiden. Then she ended up breaking her maiden and has improved from there.”

From Dixon’s vantage point, a refined running style stands out as the most notable development for the Colebrook Farms-owned mare.

“She’d always want to sit so far back, and it used to frustrate me because I’d say, ‘Get her into the race and have her closer.’ But then she’d end up further back than I’d like her to be.

“When Jalon (jockey, Samuel) rode her the day she won on the inner turf, I said, ‘Just be positive with her and try to be close on her.’ We did that, and it worked out very well.”

Now stretching out to a mile-and-an-eighth for the Belfountain, Nantuckets Day, who will reunite with Samuel for her stakes debut, will rely on her hallmark closing speed to cover the added distance.

“I think she’ll have no problem being there, being close,” said Dixon. “Her greatest attribute is her late kick. She has a phenomenal late kick. And she’s got good cruising speed, so if it works out where he (Samuel) could be a little bit closer and then use that late kick then she’s deadly.”

Set to occupy the outside post (nine), the 23-start veteran has nearly $154,000 in purse earnings.

“I thought this is a perfect time to give her a try. Her brother is a horse named Cabo Spirit, who’s a graded stakes winner in California. If there’s ever a chance that she’s going to run a good race, it’s going to be Sunday.”

Nantuckets Day was a $105,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale.

Paul Wilson is the groom.

The Belfountain is the second of four new $150,000 stakes races restricted to Registered Ontario Bred Fillies & Mares, 4-year-olds and older, to be contested at Woodbine this season. Introduced last month by the Ontario Thoroughbred Improvement Program (TIP), the female division of the series kicked off with the Zadracarta Stakes on Aug. 29.

Recent works: Bred by WinStar Farm, LLC, Nantuckets Day completed a light turf breeze in preparation for the Belfountain, covering four furlongs in :50.80 on Sept. 6.

“She’s plenty fit enough, so she’s feeling good and there’s nothing more I can do to make her any fitter, keep her happy and hope she shows up on the day,” said Dixon.

Wagering menu for the Belfountain: Includes Rolling Double / Exacta / 0.20 Trifecta / 0.20 Superfecta / $1 Swinger

Field for the $150,000 Belfountain

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Elysian Field – Pietro Moran – Mark Casse

2 – Ontario – Rafael Hernandez – Joe Sharp

3 – War Painter – Fraser Aebly – Kevin Attard

4 – Crystal Visions – Keveh Nicholls – Stuart Simon

5 – Scat Girl – Eswan Flores – Mike De Paulo

6 – Just Magnificent – Ryan Munger – Evette Chartrand-Hoek

7 – Speedy Freeze – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Ron Sadler

8 – Fortyfiveseventy – Daisuke Fukumoto – Barb Minshall

9 – Nantuckets Day – Jalon Samuel – Patrick Dixon

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Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine