Don’t Leave Me brings experience on Woodbine turf into Natalma Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Don’t Leave Me will look to improve her career mark to three wins from three starts when she faces a talented field of 11 other 2-year-old fillies in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Natalma Stakes.
The Natalma, over one mile on the Woodbine turf course, offers a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Oct. 31 at Santa Anita.
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Don’t Leave Me debuted in a Polytrack sprint that was taken off the turf Aug. 2, and she defeated a field that included fellow Natalma starter Reserved. With the Natalma being the target, trainer Malcolm Pierce opted to run Don’t Leave Me back in the allowance prep for this event over seven furlongs on grass Aug. 22, and she won by 1 3/4 lengths.
“She had a very good work on the training turf, and we had wanted to get on the turf,” Pierce said. “It’s going to be three weeks for this filly running, which is not the perfect scenario, but I really believe getting a trip over our turf course was going to be a big help for us.”
KEY CONTENDERS
Don’t Leave Me (Last 2 Beyers: 61-48)
◗ Pierce said he felt horses with a race over the Woodbine turf course may have an advantage, and recent results suggest that he’s right. Four of the last five and six of the last nine Natalma winners had recorded a start over the Woodbine turf course prior to the Natalma.
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Dixie Twist (Last 2 Beyers: 65-57)
◗ Dixie Twist won the Ontario Debutante Stakes on Polytrack last time out and now gets on the grass and stretches out for trainer Mark Casse.
◗ Dixie Twist closed strongly into quick fractions in the Shady Well Stakes two starts back and should get a similar trip in this event.
Isabella Sings (Last Beyer: 71)
◗ Isabella Sings has the highest last-out Beyer Speed Figure in the field, as she set quick fractions and held on to win her career debut over six furlongs at Belmont Park on July 10. She figures to have plenty of company on the lead in this field.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 10 Isabella Sings. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 1 for 13 with a $0.18 ROI over the past five years with 2-year-olds on turf stretching from sprints to routes following a maiden victory. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Reserved (Last 2 Beyers: 63-48)
◗ Reserved almost caught Don’t Leave Me in both horses’ career debuts Aug. 2 and followed up with an emphatic maiden win on grass over seven furlongs. She should enjoy the setup from off the pace.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Skinner Box. Trainer Rick Violette is 7 for 19 with a $3.62 ROI over the past five years with 2-year-olds in the start following a maiden victory. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Conquest Harlanate. Trainer Mark Casse is 4 for 34 with a $0.93 ROI over the past five years with 2-year-olds on turf stretching from sprints to routes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan