Callwood Dancer able to hold on

Callwood Dancer ($20.10) benefited from setting a slow pace and barely held off a closing Quiet Jungle to win her first stakes in the Grade 2, $319,000 Nassau at Woodbine.

Callwood Dancer established fractions of 24.84 seconds and 48.62 under Eurico Rosa Da Silva while being pressed by The Niagara Queen in the 1 1/16-mile turf race. After running close to the early pace, Quiet Jungle dropped back on the turn and then rallied from mid-pack to lose by a nose.

Favored Sealy Hill, the reigning Canadian Horse of the Year, was stuck in traffic on the turn and early in the stretch before closing to finish third. Arravale was fourth, and The Niagara Queen faded to fifth in the 10-horse field of fillies and mares.

Callwood Dancer covered the distance in 1:40.46, and banked $180,000 for Harlequin Ranches and trainer Roger Attfield.

"Looking at the race, there didn't seem to be much pace in there," Attfield said. "I had a feeling that she'd find herself on the lead. That's exactly how it turned out. She's a brave filly."

Robert Landry said he had a decent trip aboard Quiet Jungle.

"She ran a winning race," Landry said. "When I got to [Callwood Dancer] and collared her, I just couldn't get by her. She ran hard."