Wakanaka runs past Fev Rover in Dance Smartly

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The classy shipper Wakanaka justified her favoritism with a daylight victory in Sunday’s Grade 2, $204,400 Dance Smartly, giving Rafael Hernandez his second stakes score and third of four winners on the Woodbine Oaks card.

The late scratch of Lady Speightspeare meant there wasn’t a confirmed front-runner in the six-horse field. Fev Rover set the pace in her first North American foray with Inthewinnerscircle pressing her down the backstretch.

Wakanaka stalked the leaders in fourth and then made a bid to hit the front entering the stretch to assume command. She lugged in a little on Fev Rover in the final furlong before getting home on top by 1 3/4 lengths, in a time of 1:39.46 for the 1 1/16 miles.

Fev Rover’s rider claimed foul on Wakanaka for interference in the stretch, but the result stood.

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“With (Lady Speightspeare) out, the race got easier,” Hernandez said. “I kept her covered. Turning for home, I put her in the clear, she saw daylight and just ran off. Some new horses come here and they look at the grandstand a little too much. I tried to get her to keep her attention on the race.”

Wakanaka ($4.60), trained by William Mott, banked $120,000 for the partnership of Team Valor International and Gary Barber. The Irish-bred daughter of Power was victorious in the 2021 Italian 1000 Guineas and was coming off a second to Regal Glory in the Grade 1 Just A Game at Belmont.

Munnyfor Ro, last year’s Woodbine Oaks winner, came from fifth to miss second by a head. Seasons, Inthewinnerscircle and Youens completed the order of finish.