Dixie Twist wins maiden in Ontario Debutante

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – A resilient Dixie Twist graduated in style Saturday at Woodbine, capturing the $139,000 Ontario Debutante Stakes over the charging longshot Roaming.

Dixie Twist ($6.80) dueled up front with 9-5 favorite Starless Night through splits of 22.52 seconds and 46.06 in the six-furlong dash for 2-year-old fillies. Unhindered, the expected pacemaker, broke a bit slowly before making a four-wide move to the lead on the turn, but she tired in the final sixteenth, as Dixie Twist came back on to prevail by head in 1:11.14.

Sweet Dreams nosed out Unhindered for third, while Starless Night faded to last in the six-horse field.

Gary Boulanger rode the Mark Casse-trained Dixie Twist, who won $90,000 for owner John Oxley.

“We didn’t expect to be that close, but she broke really hard,” Boulanger said. “She was doing it easy. I went with the flow of the race and knew I had quite a bit of horse. Some horses on the outside made a big, sweeping move. She got her legs underneath her again, switched leads, and kicked on.”