Points of Grace upsets Dance Smartly

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Points of Grace led most of the way to upset a quality field Saturday at Woodbine in the , a nine-furlong race for fillies and mares.

Points of Grace ($28.10) went a slow opening quarter of 24.12 seconds, while being pressed by Ginger Brew. She went on to set middle fractions of 47.03 and 1:10.24 over turf course labeled good.

Points of Grace opened up a clear lead midway on the turn and was never threatened thereafter, winning by 2 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:45.51. Ginger Brew finished second by 1 1/2 lengths over a closing Mushka, and favored Callwood Dancer was fourth in the eight-horse field.

The Grade 2 Dance Smartly was the first Woodbine stakes score for Luis Contreras, who rode Points of Grace for Live Oak Plantation and trainer Malcolm Pierce.

There wasn t much early speed in the race, said Pierce. I told Luis to nurse her along the best that you can, and save what you can for the end. He was able to give her a little breather, but they sure picked it up after a half-mile.

Points of Grace banked $180,000 in her initial stakes victory.

Crown Isle captures Toronto Cup

Crown Isle ($6.80) scooted away from the pack in the final furlong to take Saturday s supporting stakes, the $153,150 Toronto Cup for 3-year-olds.

With Emma Wilson aboard, Crown Isle covered nine furlongs on the grass in 1:48.86. Coffee Bar finished 3 1/2 lengths back in second, and the 45-1 maiden Hisaki was third. Heavily favored Awesome Rhythm wound up fourth in the five-horse field.