Breath Away (GB) breathtaking in Grade 2 Dance Smartly

October 4, 2025

TORONTO, October 4, 2025 – It was a win-win for the connections of Breath Away (GB) in Saturday’s $200,000 bet365 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine.

With an automatic invitation to the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream in January on the line, Breath Away (GB) was at the top of her grass game in the Dance Smartly, contested over 1 1/16 miles on the Woodbine inner turf course.

Hurricane Clair, sent to the front early after starting from post three in the field of nine fillies and mares, led through early fractions of :23.13 and :47.50, with Breath Away (GB), under Sahin Civaci, last of all

Heading into the turn for home, Caitlinhergrtness glided up on the outside and breezed by the leaders to take the advantage for the drive to the wire. Last year’s King’s Plate winner began to kick away from her pursuers, but Breath Away (GB) had found her best stride and began to methodically pick off her foes down the lane.

Sixth at the stretch call, the 5-year-old dark bay mare kept driving and went on to notch a half-length score in a time of 1:41.74 over firm going. Ready for Shirl was third, 2 ½ lengths behind Caitlinhergrtness. Five Towns (GB) was fourth.

"She was very smart in her first couple of starts around Gulfstream, where you really need a turn of foot, and she's demonstrated that again on numerous occasions,” said assistant trainer Lee Vickers. “Today, I think he [Civaci] gave a great ride from the one-hole, saved every inch of ground and conserved that energy for that turn of foot late on, which was incredible. It was really good.

“When she's right, she's really, really good, and today she was right.”

Arriving at the Dance Smartly a multiple graded stakes placed mare for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco and Marc Levine, Breath Away (GB), a daughter of Bated Breath (GB) out of the Nayef mare Darling Grace (GB), is now 5-6-3 from 19 starts.

After winning her career bow – at 7 ½ furlongs over the turf on January 8, 2023 – Breath Away (GB) was second in her next start on February 12, before a victory in the Sanibel Island Stakes, also at 7 ½ furlongs on the grass, on April 1.

Bred by Highgate Stud, she came into the Dance Smartly off an impressive victory in the Violet Stakes on August 30 at Monmouth Park.

Breath Away (GB) returned $14 for her first graded stakes success.

Chris Lomon, Woodbine