Woodbine: Acting Naughty's nose hits wire first in Sweet Briar Too

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Acting Naughty, who had lost all chance when she reared at the start of the Hendrie Stakes, was on better behavior here Saturday to prevail in the $130,500 Sweet Briar Too at Woodbine.

With Tyler Pizarro in the irons, Acting Naughty made her move while widest around the final turn, dueled through the stretch, and won by the slimmest of noses over the rallying Dixie Strike.

“She broke a half-step slow, and that was okay, because it gave me an opportunity to get outside and improve on my position,” said Pizarro. “When I called to ask her, she gave me everything she’s got.”

Dixie Strike was making her seasonal bow at a distance shorter than her best and rallied strongly to finish a neck ahead of third-place Heavenly Pride, who was the surprising favorite at 2-1 and closed up the rail.

Yellow Boat encountered a world of trouble as the 5-2 second choice and finished fourth with Evil Kitten and the pace-setting Distracting completing the order of finish.

Bears Gem and Nikkis Smarty Pants were scratched.

Owned by John Hillier and trained by Don MacRae, Acting Naughty had become a stakes winner when making her seasonal bow in the six-furlong Whimsical.

Sent off as the longest shot in the field for the Sweet Briar Too, Acting Naughty returned $16.20 and keyed a $70.30 exacta over 7-2 third choice Dixie Strike. The trifecta came back at $285.