TORONTO, November 26, 2025 – Graded stakes winner Dixie Law takes on eight rivals in the $250,000 Coronation Futurity, part of an 11-race Saturday Woodbine card that also features the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes. The 1 1/8-mile Coronation Futurity, a main track event for Canadian-foaled 2-year-olds, is a significant race on the road to the 167th running of The King’s Plate, the first jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. The 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth, a main track fixture for Canadian-foaled 2-year-old fillies, is a key event on the path to the 71st running of the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Stella Artois, the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Tiara series. Dixie Law, trained by Dale Desruisseaux, will take on the boys in the Coronation Futurity. “Some of the reasons we chose this over the Princess Elizabeth was that she has already beaten the boys in the Cup & Saucer, and I think the distance of the race is better suited for her,” said Desruisseaux, who is having a career-best season across the board. A daughter of Tiz the Law out of the Union Rags mare Bit of Dixie, Dixie Law heads into her fourth straight stakes affair off a sterling score in the $150,000 Mazarine (G3) on November 2. Dixie Law and jockey Rafael Hernandez winning the Mazarine Stakes on November 2, 2025 (Michael Burns Photo) Under regular rider Rafael Hernandez, the bay seized command straightening for home on her way to a 1 ¼-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile main track event for 2-year-old fillies. The final time was 1:46.71. “She sat behind a slower pace and when Rafi wanted her to go ahead and go on with it, she did,” said Desruisseaux. “Down the lane, I think she was waiting a little bit on horses. I think that is what type of horse she is – she isn’t going to win by 10 or 15 [lengths], opening up on horses. When I work her in the morning, she does the same kind of thing. If a horse comes at her, she will kick back in. I think she is still learning that way.” It was the second stakes victory for Dixie Law, a homebred for Garland Williamson’s Hillsbrook Farms, who took the Cup & Saucer on October 5. “Her mind and wanting to be a racehorse,” said Desruisseaux, as to what are the filly’s best attributes. “She has the type of talent that keeps pushing her forward. Anything we have thrown at her she has handled it. And she keeps looking for more.” Dixie Law broke her maiden at first asking on July 12 at Woodbine. Sent off as the 5-2 choice in the nine-horse field, she rallied stoutly to record a 1 ½-length score in the six-furlong race over the E.P. Taylor turf. In the Natalma Stakes (G1T) on September 13, she finished sixth at 48-1, only 2 ½-lengths behind the winner, in the one-mile inner turf test for 2-year-olds. The bay filly, 3-0-0 ($228,444) from four starts, covered five furlongs in 1:00.00 over the main track on November 19, working in tandem with Piper’s Gift, who will contest the Princess Elizabeth. “It was a very good work. I breezed them together and they did it very well, galloping out in :13 and change.” Kyle MacDonald is the groom. Other Coronation Futurity starters include Navy Street. Trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Sid Attard for Spruce Park Stable, the son of Jimmy Creed out of the Yes It’s True mare Katie O. was a game runner-up, missing top prize by a half-length in the Display Stakes, at seven panels over the main track on October 12. Bred by Jim Dandy Stable, Navy Street won his debut on September 21, posting a 2 ¼-length score at five furlongs on the main track. Navy Street and jockey Eswan Flores winning Race 5 on September 21, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) Eswan Flores, aboard for both starts, will be in the irons of the chestnut colt again on Saturday. “What’s impressed me the most is how quickly Navy Street has matured under Sid’s training,” said Flores, who recently surpassed the 600-win mark for his career. “Sid has done a fantastic job getting him ready both physically and mentally, and you can see that professionalism in how he’s run so far. “This horse is very calm and composed, and I think that’s a testament to the consistent morning work Sid and I have put in. He’s mentally prepared and not easily rattled, which is crucial.” What does Flores see as Navy Street’s biggest strength? “Definitely his versatility. Thanks to Sid’s training, he can adapt to different race scenarios – whether that means taking the lead or sitting off the pace. He’s mature beyond his years and adaptable, which makes me confident in any scenario.” Ayrshire Lad won the first running of the Coronation Futurity in 1902. The late Avelino Gomez won four straight (1964-67) editions of the race, a feat duplicated by Sandy Hawley (1973-76). The Princess Elizabeth has drawn eight hopefuls, a field that includes Ashlee B and Piper’s Gift. Ashlee B, trained by Patrick Dixon for Colebrook Farms, heads into her second start and first stakes test off a sixth on October 25. Ashlee B with her gallop rider Cassandra Jeschke (Courtesy of Patrick Dixon) The daughter of Country House out of the Ghostzapper mare Georgia Clay was last of 10 early in the main track race contested at one mile and 70 yards before being fanned wide into the final turn. “She settled off the pace, which, when you are going two turns as a first-time starter, is probably the best-case scenario,” said Dixon. “They are able to come off the pace and perhaps learn a little bit more. I didn’t expect her to be that wide – she got pushed even further out turning for home – but she still finished well. She got a lot out of that first race. “I don’t love starting 2-year-olds out going two turns, but I thought with this race coming and that we have waited so long with her – it was a bit of a stop and go season with her – everything pointed to that first race. She’s bred to go long and winter-trained in Florida, so with enough miles underneath her, she will most likely get the distance in this race. I don’t want her too far out of it in this race, where she is making a belated run. We’ll see how the speed plays out, but if she can sit mid-pack and she is good enough, the hope is she can put in a big effort.” Bred in Ontario by Braconcrest Inc., Ashlee B posted a pair of works ahead of the Princess Elizabeth, including a five-panel move, handily, in 1:01.20 over the main track on November 21. “She’s quite aggressive to train,” said Dixon. “She really likes to get out there and get it on. She goes with the pony every day because she can be quite the handful. She definitely does like to get out and train. She had that nice work this past weekend and she came out of it doing well, too. It’s all systems go right now. “The 2-year-olds, they are the future. Any time you have a young horse who looks exciting – it makes looking down the road more exciting.” Ashlee B was a $180,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale. Denzil McKenzie is the groom. Piper’s Gift, an Ontario homebred for Chiefswood Stable, heads into the Princess Elizabeth off an authoritative victory in the Glorious Song Stakes, a seven-furlong main track event for 2-year-old fillies, on October 12. The final time was 1:23.56. Piper’s Gift and jockey Rafael Hernandez winning the Glorious Song Stakes on October 12, 2025 (Michael Burns Photo) It was the first stakes win and second triumph from four starts for Piper’s Gift, who was second in her debut at Woodbine on July 26, before a fifth in the Catch a Glimpse Stakes on August 16. “She ran big,” said trainer Dale Desruisseaux. “I was very happy with the way she sat in behind horses. She can be a bit headstrong in the mornings. The way she settled in behind the horse – we are hoping to get that same kind of trip. If she can shut off behind horses, I think that will help her get that extra distance.” She arrived at the Glorious Song off a head-turning maiden-breaking score on September 20 at Woodbine. Sent off at 5-2 in the six-furlong main track maiden special weight race, the Yorkton out of the Silent Name (JPN) mare Piper’s Legacy stalked the pace before ranging up three wide near the quarter pole on her way to an eight-length win in 1:10.95. “The question is if she will get two turns because she hasn’t done that up until now,” said Desruisseaux. “She’s training well and the last two races, it looks like she will [get the distance], but until they do it, you have to wait and see.” Kyle MacDonald is the groom. Princess Elizabeth-winning fillies Moira (2021), Nipissing (2012), Roan Inish (2009), Ginger Gold (2001), Dancethruthedawn (2000), Deputy Jane West (1992) and Par Excellence (1979) all went on to win the Woodbine Oaks the following year. First post time is 1:05 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com and bet365. The wagering menu for the Coronation Futurity includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta and $1 Swinger. The wagering menu for the Princess Elizabeth includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta, 0.20 Pick 3 (Races 8-9-10), 0.20 Pick 4 (Races 8-9-10-11) and $1 Swinger. Field for the Coronation Futurity – Race 10 Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer 1 – Navy Street – Eswan Flores – Sid Attard 2 – Dixie Law – Rafael Hernandez – Dale Desruisseaux 3 – Imyourmedicineman – Luis Contreras – Harold Ladouceur 4 – Buium – Pietro Moran – Kevin Attard 5 – Deputy Curlin – Ryan Munger – Mark Casse 6 – Amore Mio – Xarel Forde – Pat Parente 7 – Fire and Wine – Slade Jones – Zeljko Krcmar 8 – Speights Will – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Steven Chircop 9 – Military Time – Fraser Aebly – Mark Casse Field for the Princess Elizabeth – Race 8 Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer 1 – Fleury – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll 2 – Bells of Paradise – Fraser Aebly – Josie Carroll 3 – Ashlee B – Da-Sean Gaskin – Patrick Dixon 4 – Piper’s Gift – Rafael Hernandez – Dale Desruisseaux 5 – Backstreet Emma – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mike De Paulo 6 – La Culasse – Pietro Moran – Kevin Attard 7 – Katie’s Grace – Ryan Munger – Catherine Day Phillips 8 – Winning Agenda – Jalon Samuel – Sid Attard Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
