Solid Appeal wins second straight Nassau Stakes title

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Solid Appeal ($7.40) won the Grade 2 Nassau Stakes for the second year in a row Sunday under a well-timed ride from Jesse Campbell at Woodbine.

Favored Deceptive Vision dueled up front with Avie’s Sense through rapid fractions in the one-mile turf route, while Solid Appeal raced toward the rear of the field along the inside.

Solid Appeal mounted a wide rally in the stretch, and collared 18-1 outsider Why Katherine in the final strides to prevail by a half-length in 1:33.04 over the firm ground. Deceptive Vision finished a clear third in the talent-laden nine-horse field of fillies and mares.

“When she won this race last year, the pace was slower, and she was towing me along a little,” Campbell recalled. “Today, they were going quick up front, so I let her be and let the race come to her. She was comfortable, and when I needed her, she finished strong.”

The Reade Baker-trained Solid Appeal earned $120,000 of the $213,600 purse for owners Jim and Susan Hill. The 5-year-old was voted the Sovereign Award for Canada’s champion turf female in 2013.