A pair of Grade 2 turf stakes, the $200,000 Highlander, and $175,000 Nassau, share the highlight with a trio of different graded stakes as a part of the Canada Day Racing Pageant, Saturday at Woodbine.

The world-renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course will play host to a pair of star-stacked fields on this yr’s editions of the six-furlong Highlander (for 4-year-olds and up) and one-mile Nassau (for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up), each races having drawn native and U.S. curiosity.

One Timer, a 4-year-old son of Trappe Shot-Spanish Star, is not any stranger to Woodbine, having received the primary monitor Victoria Stakes in 2021.

Educated by Larry Rivelli for Richard Ravin and Patricia’s Hope LLC, the bay returns to the Toronto oval for the Highlander a graded stakes winner after taking the $600,000 Franklin-Simpson (G2T) final September at Kentucky Downs.

One Timer returned to motion on June 1 and notched a 4 ¼-length overcome 5 furlongs on the Belterra Park turf.

“That effort at Kentucky Downs was extraordinarily spectacular,” praised Rivelli. “We gave him a while off after that race and received him going once more in that race in Ohio. However he is prepared now. That is the spot. He is doing rather well and we’re wanting ahead to coming as much as Woodbine. E.T. [jockey, Baird] says he has an important cruising velocity. As soon as he will get to the entrance, he desires to remain there.”

Bred in Kentucky by St. Simon Place LLC, One Timer is 6-1-0 from 9 profession begins, with $589,113 (U.S.) in lifetime earnings.

Saturday’s race will mark the primary time the well-travelled gelding may have competed twice on the similar racetrack. ​ ​

“I hope he handles it [E.P. Taylor] pretty much as good as he is dealt with all the opposite turf programs he is been on,” stated Rivelli. “He is the kind of horse that’s able to being able to go wherever he occurs to be racing. A kind of horses who simply is aware of what to do and the right way to do it effectively.”

Different starters embrace a number of graded stakes positioned Masseto (GB), graded stakes positioned Oceanic, and a number of graded stakes winner Silent Poet. ​

Sid Attard received three straight editions of the Highlander, with Signature Purple in 2010 and 2011, and Smokey Hearth in 2012.

Moira, Canada’s reigning Horse of the 12 months, will make the second begin of her 4-year-old marketing campaign within the Nassau.

Educated by Kevin Attard for house owners X-Males Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, and SF Racing LLC, the daughter of Ghostzapper, who additionally earned champion 3-year-old filly on the Sovereign Awards ceremony earlier this yr, completed second within the Belle Mahone (G3), a neck behind Tremendous Hoity Toity within the 1 1/16-mile important monitor race.

This might be Moira’s third attempt on the grass. She completed second however was demoted to eighth in final yr’s E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) and was fifth within the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) at Keeneland on November 5.

“She’s run two sturdy races on the turf,” stated Attard, who received the 2017 version of the Nassau with a number of Sovereign winner Starship Jubilee, Canada’s Horse of the 12 months in 2019. “Sadly, the E.P. Taylor resulted in a disqualification, however that does not take away from the grit she confirmed and that skill to dig deep when the actual operating begins.

“She had a troublesome journey within the Breeders’ Cup, however she confirmed that aggressive struggle once more. If issues had labored out in a different way, who is aware of what the outcome may have been? She’s had some unhealthy racing luck her previous three begins, so hopefully she’s due for some higher luck this time round.”

Bred in Ontario by Adena Springs, Moira received the 2021 Princess Elizabeth Stakes in her debut and adopted it up with a second within the Mazarine (G3) to finish her 2-year-old marketing campaign.

In 2022, she captured the Fury Stakes and Woodbine Oaks earlier than a seven-length stunner within the $1 million Plate, wherein she set Woodbine’s 1 ¼-mile synthetic-track file.

Moira comes into the Nassau with a 4-2-0 mark from eight begins and $995,491 (U.S.) in profession earnings.

“It might be nice to see her get the win on Canada Day at her dwelling monitor on among the best turf programs on this planet,” stated Attard. “There’s at all times a giant sense of satisfaction at our barn when you’ll be able to tackle top-level competitors and win one for the house group.”

Different starters embrace a number of graded stakes positioned Eminent Victor, graded stakes winner Fev Rover (IRE), a number of graded stakes positioned Scotish Star (ARG), graded stakes positioned Millie Lady, and graded stakes positioned Candy Sufficient (GB).

The Highlander and Nassau are slated as race eight and race 10, respectively. First publish time is 1:10 p.m. Followers may also watch and wager on all of the motion by way of HPIbet.com and the Darkish Horse Bets app.

FIELD FOR THE $200,000 GRADE 2 HIGHLANDER
Publish – Horse – Jockey – Coach

1 – Cadamosto (IRE) (S) – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

2 – Outlaw Child – Eric Cancel – George Weaver

3 – Outdated Chestnut – Edgard Zayas – Martin Drexler

4 – Masseto (GB) – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

5 – Fortunate Rating – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse

6 – Oceanic – Reylu Gutierrez – Jordan Blair

7 – Souper Dormy – Declan Carroll – Martin Drexler

8 – Striker – Kazushi Kimura – Josie Carroll

9 – Silent Poet – Eswan Flores – Nick Gonzalez

10 – One Timer – Rafael Hernandez – Larry Rivelli

FIELD FOR THE $175,000 GRADE 2 NASSAU
Publish – Horse – Jockey – Coach

1 – Sister Lou Ann – Edgard Zayas – Saffie Joseph, Jr.

2 – Millie Lady – Declan Carroll – Catherine Day Phillips

3 – Scotish Star (ARG) – Reylu Gutierrez – Todd Pletcher

4 – Moira – Kazushi Kimura – Kevin Attard

5 – Satan’s Bit – David Moran – Roger Attfield

6 – Purrfect – Ryan Munger – Michael Stidham

7 – Candy Sufficient (GB) – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Roger Attfield

8 – Fev Rover (IRE) – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

9 – Eminent Victor – Rafael Hernandez – Chad Brown