Woodbine: Paso Doble foils Dancingall Theway's bid for repeat in New Providence

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Paso Doble held off a pesky Dancingall Theway to take the $125,000 New Providence Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

With Patrick Husbands up, Paso Doble ($6.60) assumed a stalking position on the backstretch in the six-furlong sprint, as Daniel Be Good set the opening split of 22.56 seconds. Paso Doble and a hard-ridden Dancingall Theway, who won last year’s New Providence, joined Daniel Be Good on the lead on the turn. Paso Doble took control early in the stretch, and went on to prevail by a length, in a time of 1:09.18.

Dancingall Theway finished a clear second over Don’s Folly. San Cove, last year’s champion older male runner in Canada, wound up sixth in the eight-horse field of Ontario-sired horses.

It was the first stakes win for the once-speedy Paso Doble, who has developed an effective stalking style this year for new trainer Mark Casse. Paso Doble earned $75,000 for Centennial Farm (Niagara) Inc.