Woodbine: Smartyfly, Dance Again give Pierce two solid shots in Carotene

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Malcolm Pierce will be holding a strong hand in Saturday’s $150,000 Carotene Stakes at Woodbine, when he runs Smartyfly and Dance Again in the nine-furlong turf route for Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Smartyfly competed in all three legs of the year’s Canadian Triple Tiara, a lucrative series for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies. After running fourth in the Woodbine Oaks and second in the Bison City Stakes, she set soft fractions en route to a three-length score in the 10-furlong Wonder Where Stakes on the grass Aug. 4.

“She’s stayed good all season,” said Pierce, who won last Saturday’s Grade 1 Jamaica at Belmont with Up With the Birds. “I do think she moves up on the grass. I think she’s better on it than Poly. I thought that before the Wonder Where, and I think that race confirmed it. She did have everything her own way, which always helps. I’m really happy with the way she’s going into this race.”

Dance Again won her maiden early in the year on the dirt at Fair Grounds and was second in an allowance on the grass at Keeneland in April. She went on to finish fifth in the Woodbine Oaks on the Polytrack.

Dance Again made her last two starts here on the grass, finishing third in the Ontario Damsel Stakes and second in a one-mile allowance.

“She couldn’t be training any better,” Pierce said. “I think she’s sitting on her best race. There’s a lot of good reasons to go to this race. I’ve got two fillies who are doing really well, and I hope one of them gets the money.”

Eurico Rosa Da Silva will ride Smartfly, and Patrick Husbands picks up the mount on Dance Again. The two Sam-Son Farm homebreds are not coupled.

Professor’s Ride held off favored Strut the Course in the stretch to win her first stakes in the Sept. 7 La Prevoyante for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies. Sent off at 15-1, she hit the front early in the lane in the one-turn mile and got home on top by a neck over a yielding turf course.

Michelle Rainford rode Professor’s Ride in the La Prevoyante for trainer Scott Fairlie and has the mount again Saturday.

“She’s very competitive,” Rainford said. “She really showed that down the lane. She looked that horse in the eye and wouldn’t let her get by.”