Dixie Moon outruns boys in Cup and Saucer Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — The promising filly Dixie Moon wired the boys at Woodbine on Sunday in the $226,600 Cup and Saucer Stakes, scoring by a length as the favorite under Eurico Da Silva.

Over a course labeled good, Dixie Moon set slow fractions in the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds, while being pressed by Redoubt’s Light. She opened up a clear lead in the stretch, and then held off 2-1 second choice Strike Me Down to win in a time of 1:44.33. Rose’s Vision edged Cooler Mike for third in the 12-horse field of Canadian-breds.

“She ran very, very focused all the way today,” Da Silva said.

Dixie Moon ($4.80) was coming off a close second in the Grade 1 Natalma on turf, and trainer Catherine Day Phillips bypassed yesterday’s Grade 3 Mazarine on Tapeta to keep her on the grass in the Cup and Saucer.

“We just thought she moved up on the turf and enjoyed the turf, and deserved another chance on it,” Day Phillips said. “This race just seemed to make sense.”

Dixie Moon, a lanky daughter of Curlin, banked $135,000 in her first stakes success for owner-breeders Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry.

*** Sister Nation ($11.30) notched her first stakes under Silva in Sunday’s supporting overnight event, the $100,000 Ruling Angel, for 3-year-old fillies.

After racing at the back of the pack early, Sister Nation closed wide and mowed down the four rivals to her inside in the stretch to prevail in a time of 1:16.34 for the 6 1/2 furlongs. Just Be Kind finished a neck in front of Tulsa Queen in second in the six-horse field.

Sister Nation, a daughter of Into Mischief owned by Mark Dodson, was returning from a layoff that began after she graduated in a June 17 maiden special.

“She actually got hurt in behind that day, and we had to give her some time,” trainer Mike DePaulo said. “She came back today, and Eurico gave her a big ride.”