Woodbine: Amiable Grace upsets Sweet Briar Too

Michael Burns

Amiable Grace wins the Sweet Briar Too Stakes by a half-length over D’Wild Beach.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Amiable Grace, overlooked in the wagering at 8-1, stalked the pace and rallied strongly in midstretch for a half-length victory in Friday’s $112,400 Sweet Briar Too at Woodbine.

The field of seven for the Sweet Briar Too, an overnight stakes for fillies and mares, included 2010 Sovereign Award winners Biofuel, who was the Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly, and Indian Apple Is, champion female sprinter.

But it was Amiable Grace’s hour to shine as the 4-year-old Ontario-bred, owned by Bill Graham and trained by Michael Doyle, became a stakes winner under Emma-Jayne Wilson.

D’Wild Beach, the longest shot on the board at 26-1, held for second money in a three-horse place photo after stalking the moderate pace of Resentless and hitting the front around the final turn.

Rashnaa finished a nose back in third after looming into contention in the final furlong, and Biofuel was another nose back in fourth as the 4-5 favorite after rallying from last place on the outside.

Ariana D, Indian Apple Is, and Resentless completed the order of finish as the seven furlongs went in 1:24.03.

Amiable Grace and D’Wild Beach produced a $384.50 exacta payoff. The trifecta came back at $1,608.50, and the superfecta at $3,273.15.