No Nay Hudson Says Yes to Nearctic Stakes Success

Trainer Wesley Ward was at his Keeneland base Oct. 4, but his stable's influence was felt all the way up into Canada.

The Ward-trained No Nay Hudson  traveled north to Woodbine to win the $183,520 Nearctic Stakes (G2T), scoring an 8-1 last-to-first upset in the 5-furlong turf sprint. He rallied to catch 2023 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) winner Nobals  by a neck.

Western Whirl  ran third ahead of The Strikin Viking  in fourth. Favored Bring Theband Home  faded to finish last of the seven grass sprinters.

The winner was clocked in :56.19 on a firm inner course at Woodbine following quick early splits of :21.65 and :44.01 set by Bring Theband Home. No Nay Hudson paid $18.90 to win.

Pablo Morales, second-leading rider at Presque Isle Downs, went to Woodbine Saturday for the ride on No Nay Hudson, and said he was forced to change tactics early after his mount was squeezed at the start and forced to play catch-up from last. But the pace worked to No Nay Hudson's advantage.

"In the turn, he started picking it up, picking it up, and I'm thinking, 'I'm going to get this because they have to come back a little bit,' " Morales said.

No Nay Hudson notched his second stakes victory and fifth overall win in 19 starts. He has career earnings of $528,214 for owners Andrew Farm and For the People Racing Stable

Bred in Ireland by RJB Bloodstock, No Nay Hudson is a 5-year-old bay No Nay Never  gelding out of the graded stakes-winning Malibu Moon mare Raw Silk .

Breath Away Runs Downs Caitlinhergrtness in Dance Smartly

Three races after the Nearctic, Breath Away  also closed from last to win to catch 2024 King's Plate winner Caitlinhergrtness  by a half-length in the CA$208,900 Dance Smarty Stakes (G2T). She did not take the lead into the closing strides of the 1 1/16-mile inner turf race.

Sahin Civaci piloted the winner for New York-based trainer Miguel Clement. She was timed in 1:41.74 after fractions of :23.13, :47.50 and 1:11.59 set by Hurricane Clair , who weakened to seventh in the stretch.

Breath Away notched her first graded win and a second straight stakes victory after a late-running triumph in the ungraded Violet Stakes this summer at Monmouth Park. She paid $14 to win. She is a five-time winner in 19 starts for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco, and Marc Levine.

Caitlinhergrtness, who stalked the early pace before taking over in the stretch, held second, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Ready for Shirl  in third.

Breath Away was bought for the equivalent of $328,027 as a yearling at Tattersalls in 2021. Bred in Great Britain by Highgate Stud, she is a dark bay or brown 5-year-old daughter of Breath Away  out of the Nayef mare Darling Grace .