Dancing Duchess makes it look easy in Alywow Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Favored Dancing Duchess prevailed in workmanlike fashion under Sahin Civaci in Saturday’s $112,000 Alywow Stakes at Woodbine over a rain-softened main turf labeled as good.

Dancing Duchess dueled with her Mark Casse-trained stablemate Karaya through soft fractions in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies. She opened up a clear lead entering the stretch and then coasted home on top by 1 1/2 lengths over a wide-closing Uphill Dance in a time of 1:16.45.

Creed’s Gold finished third for Casse and Zo Lee nosed out a tiring Karaya for fourth. Rosa faded to trail the six-horse field after jumping something at the head of the stretch. Morning-line favorite Stormcast was scratched by Casse.

Civaci was aboard when Dancing Duchess finished third in her season debut in the Star Shoot Stakes before a wide fourth most recently against older allowance opposition.

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“Last time, it was just unfortunate that we had that outside draw and got hung out wide,” Civaci recalled. “It cost her the race. Today, it was better position. She’s speedy out of the gate and it was easy fractions, so I was happy up there. She pace was going easy and when I asked her, she kicked on.”

Dancing Duchess ($4.90) earned $72,000 for owner Tracy Farmer, who paid $400,000 for the Ontario-bred daughter of Munnings at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

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