Woodbine: Miss Keller hits wire first in three-horse E.P. Taylor photo

Michael Burns

Miss Keller splits horses to narrowly get up over I'm a Dreamer (3) and Dream Peace in the $1 million E.P. Taylor.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Miss Keller, runner-up in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes last year, prevailed in a thrilling three-horse finish in Sunday’s running of the $1 million E.P. Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares.

Trained by Roger Attfield and ridden by John Velazquez, Miss Keller was up in time for a head victory over I’m A Dreamer with the favored Dream Peace another nose back in the field of 11 fillies and mares for the 1 1/4-mile turf stakes.

By capturing the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In event, Miss Keller  received a fees-paid berth into the BC Filly and Mare Turf  on Nov. 4  at Churchill Downs.

BREEDERS’ CUP CHALLENGE: Racing schedule, replays, and past winners >>

Miss Keller was sent off at 11-1 following a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Canadian here Sept. 18.

“I think she ran a really good race last time out,” said Velasquez, who had studied the tapes of Miss Keller’s Canadian run. “She was probably a little too far back, and couldn’t catch up.

“Today, I was far back but I caught up before the half-mile pole. I was thinking, ‘I hope I didn’t move too soon.’  When I got to the quarter pole I was in hand with her.”

Miss Keller, who raced in 10th through the first six furlongs,  moved strongly to the challenge the leader in midstretch.

“She didn’t want to pass that horse,” said Velazquez. “But when the other came up beside her, she put up a good fight.”

The “other horse” was Dream Peace, the 2-1 favorite, who had come with a furious rush down the middle of the track.

Adventure Seeker closed on the inside to finish another length back in fourth when Sea of Heartbreak, Mahbooba, Laughing, Dyna Waltz, Mekong Melody, Strawberrydaiquiri, and Kinky Afro rounding out the order of finish.

Mekong Melody, also trained by Attfield, and Dyna Waltz, who had shipped in from Pennsylvania for trainer Jonathan Sheppard, were the only non-Europeans in the lineup.

The final time on a course rated  yielding was 2:06.98, more than six seconds off the course record.

Miss Keller returned $25.30 and keyed an exacta  payoff of $265.30, a trifecta  of $1,612.20, and a superfecta of $3,640.20.