Woodbine: Solid Appeal takes Dance Smartly Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Solid Appeal, who became a stakes winner here in the Grade 2 Nassau in May, confirmed her status as the top older female turf horse on the grounds with a solid win in Sunday’s Grade 2, $202,800 Dance Smartly.

Prominent throughout under Jesse Campbell, Solid Appeal stalked the pace from third place and commenced a rally turning for home that carried her to a two-length victory over the invader Julie’s Love.

“She just traveled so well to the quarter pole,” Campbell said. “When I asked her, she actually moved quicker than I thought she would. I didn’t want to make the lead that soon. She just ran so hard to the wire.”

Julie’s Love, who shifted off the rail in midstretch, finished well to end up a half-length ahead of No Explaining, with the pacesetting Coffee Clique fourth in the field of 10. Rounding out the order of finish were Northern Passion, Hard Not to Like, Irish Mission, Moment of Majesty, Distorted Legacy, and Peche Mobilee.

Irish Mission, last year’s Canadian champion turf female and 3-year-old filly, was the lukewarm favorite at 3-1 but failed to fire after getting within striking distance on the final turn.

Moonlit Beauty was scratched.

Solid Appeal, a Kentucky-bred owned by Jim and Susan Hill and trained by Reade Baker, completed the approximately 1 1/8 miles over a turf course rated “good” in 1:46.19. She returned $13.10 as the fourth choice and keyed a $96.30 exacta, a $1,049.80 trifecta, and a $3,797.10 superfecta.