Grace and Dignity tests speed and endurance in Glorious Song Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Grace and Dignity will look to remain undefeated when she makes her stakes debut in Sunday’s $100,000 Glorious Song Stakes for 2-year-old fillies over seven furlongs on Tapeta at Woodbine.

From the first crop of sire Animal Kingdom, Grace and Dignity has won both of her starts in gate-to-wire fashion. She debuted with a 5 1/2-length victory Sept. 16 and followed that up with a 5 1/4-length optional-claiming win Oct. 18. Both races came over six furlongs on the Tapeta here.

Grace and Dignity will test her speed at seven furlongs Sunday. Trainer Catherine Day Phillips said she believes Grace and Dignity will have no issues stretching out.

“She’s just fast,” she said. “She’s really nice. . . . I think she’ll handle it fine.”

Grace and Dignity has worked twice since her last race, including a three-furlong breeze in 35.40 seconds on the main track here Wednesday.

“I was very, very happy with it,” Day Phillips said.

Key Contenders

Grace and Dignity, by Animal Kingdom

Beyers: 83-82

◗ Day Phillips has already set her career high for Woodbine wins in a season with 23 heading into Friday’s card, and she could set a career high for stakes wins this weekend. Day Phillips has won five stakes at the meet, matching her tally from 2005, and will saddle Smooth Talk in Saturday’s Frost King Stakes.

Perfection Cat, by Tale of the Cat

Beyers: 65-65-59

◗ She finished third in her first two starts, including behind Grace and Dignity on Sept. 16 in her second start.

◗ She’ll return to the Tapeta following a win over a mile on the turf Oct. 13.

Win the War, by War Front

Beyer: 60

◗ The $700,000 yearling purchase was a debut winner on the grass Oct. 20, rallying wide from off the pace to win by a neck.

◗ Her workouts indicate she should handle Tapeta. She covered five furlongs in 59.80 on the main track Nov. 1.

Madame X., by Exchange Rate

Last 3 Beyers: 57-54-52

◗ She was supplemented to this race and will cut back in distance from 1 1/16 miles following a 12th-place finish in the Grade 3 Jessamine Stakes on Oct. 11 at Keeneland.

◗ She’s had success sprinting on turf at Laurel Park, winning her debut by 9 1/4 lengths July 2 and finishing second in the Selima Stakes on Sept. 16.