Maple Leaf Mel Named for Big Part of Englehart's Barn

When they were driving back from the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in Timonium, Md., trainer Jeremiah Englehart and his owner, two-time Super Bowl-winning football coach Bill Parcells, came up with a plan to name a New York-bred filly they had just bought.

Let's name her after Mel, they both decided.

And that's how Maple Leaf Mel , who won her debut at Saratoga Race Course by five lengths Aug. 10, got her name.

Mel is Melanie Giddings, Englehart's assistant, who is originally from Canada. Giddings, 38, is a Stage 4 endocervical and ovarian cancer survivor.

"I was looking for a name for the filly, that's it," Parcells, who coached the New York Giants, New England Patriots, New York Jets, and Dallas Cowboys, said Aug. 12 outside of Englehart's barn."I like Mel. She is a real nice, young lady."

Maple Leaf Mel is a daughter of Cross Traffic   and was bred by Joe Fafone. In her six-furlong debut, she went off as the 3-5 favorite and was the easiest of winners for jockey Joel Rosario.

"Naming the horse for Mel just sounded right," Englehart said. "She has gone through a lot. I have named horses for my kids before, and they couldn't outrun me. It's nice that it looks like she has ability and could be a nice filly."

Englehart said the next start for Maple Leaf Mel could be in the $200,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs. 

As for Giddings, she is tickled that the barn would put a horse in her name.

"Coach picked her out and I've known him for a few years," she said. "I don't know if he named her after me because I kept telling him how much I love her. It means a lot."