Niigon's Eclipse considers options

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Niigon’s Eclipse became a graded stakes winner in her first attempt for owner-breeder Chiefswood Stable by taking the Grade 2 Nassau Stakes in gate-to-wire fashion May 27 at Woodbine. Trainer Rachel Halden said Niigon’s Eclipse will make her next start during Canada Day weekend, but she does have a few options.

Halden said Niigon’s Eclipse could be pointed to the Grade 2, $175,000 Dance Smartly Stakes over 1 1/4 miles on the turf on Queen’s Plate Day on June 30, or wait for the $100,000 Zadracarta Stakes against Ontario-bred fillies and mares over seven furlongs on turf July 1.

“That’s something I need to discuss with the Chiefswood camp first, and we haven’t put our heads together on deciding where we go next,” she said.

“The Zadracarta and the Dance Smartly are two days apart, so it’ll be one or the other.”

Niigon’s Eclipse spent the winter with Halden at Payson Park in Florida. Halden said she put Niigon’s Eclipse on the same training regimen she did last year to prepare for the 2018 campaign. Last season, Niigon’s Eclipse hit the board in six of her seven starts and recorded her first stakes win in the Victoriana Stakes.

“She had November and December off in the sunshine in Florida,” Halden said. “Then we picked her back up in January and tried to get a two-turn start into her at Keeneland on the way home so she was set up and ready to fire back here. It’s worked out perfect two years in a row.”