Winning the Grade 1 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes with Dixie Law would be career highlight for Desruisseaux
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TORONTO, September 10, 2025 – Dale Desruisseaux is already having a career year, but winning Saturday’s $500,000 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine with Dixie Law would put the trainer into personal unchartered territory - it would be his first graded stakes victory.
“It would be a career highlight, Desruisseaux said. “It’s a Grade 1 and a ‘Win and You're In.’ It would be pretty exciting, for sure.”
The Natalma Stakes for 2-year-old fillies will be contested over one mile on the inner turf for the first time. The race is an official Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” event. The winner receives an automatic, fees-paid berth into the $1 million (USD) Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at the 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships held October 31- November 1 at Del Mar.
In 2025, Desruisseaux has already set career bests for wins (13) and earnings ($464,806). On August 30, he won the $125,000 Toronto Cup Stakes at Woodbine with 3-year-old Church and State, who also won the $100,000 King Corrie Stakes on May 18 at Woodbine.
The trainer said he’s excited about the prospects for Dixie Law, a Tiz the Law filly out of the Union Rags mare Bit Of Dixie that is owned by her breeder Garland Williamson of Erin, ON.
Desruisseaux has been working with Dixie Law since mid-March.
“She’s been a plus since she's got here,” Desruisseaux said. “She’s really easy to train and a really nice filly.
“She was probably one of the bigger 2-year-olds I had come in this spring, but she’s gone through a growth spurt in the summer, and she's blossomed a little bit. She's filled out. I think even next year she's going to be even bigger and better.
Dixie Law comes into the Natalma off a win in her only career start – a $117,100 maiden special weight over six furlongs on the turf on July 12 at Woodbine with Rafael Hernandez up. Sitting mid-pack for much of the race, Dixie Law closed with a flourish to win.
Desruisseaux said he liked Dixie Law’s “versatility” in that race.
“I've always said to the owners that I think the further the better for her. When she came with that run, it was kind of expected. We always thought she was really nice, and she had been breezing really well going into the race. So, we were expecting good things, and luckily, she prevailed.”
Following that start, Dixie Law was scratched sick out of the $150,000 Catch A Glimpse Stakes on Aug. 16 over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course at Woodbine.
“It was unfortunate to miss the Catch A Glimpse,” Desruisseaux said. “She got sick on me on the day of entry. So, obviously, we're not going into the race totally like we would have liked to, but she's had really good breezes in the interim, and we're pretty excited to get going.”
Should Dixie Law win the Natalma, the prospect of maybe taking her to the Breeders’ Cup would be another dream-come-true moment for Desruisseaux.
“It would be huge. Obviously, we would have to see how she comes out of [the Natalma]. They’re 2-year-olds. You never know. Knock on wood that she's sound and everything. If she wins, I'm sure the boss [Williamson] would like to go. You don't get too many opportunities like that.”
Dixie Law’s groom is Kyle MacDonald.
Trainer Charlie Appleby will also send over unbeaten Godolphin homebred Dance To The Music (GB) to contest the Natalma.
In her most recent start, Dance To The Music (GB) won the Group 3 Newsells Park Stud Sweet Solera Stakes on August 9 at Newmarket.
“She was taking on more experienced fillies on this day and was very professional, keeping on well when challenged,” Appleby said.
Dance To The Music (GB) – a daughter of Dubawi (IRE) out of the Noverre mare Miss Lucifer (FR) – is a full-sister to 2021 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile champ Space Blues.
“[The Natalma] will be [Dance To The Music’s] first time on a turn and the track is tighter than anything she will have encountered before, but she has been pleasing us in her work at home, so we come [to Woodbine] with plenty of confidence.”
Field for the Grade 1 $500,000 Jonnie Walker Natalma Stakes (Race 8)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Corsia Veloce – Fraser Aebly – Josie Carroll
2 – Pina Colada – Sahin Civaci - Mark Casse
3 – Sweet Fusion – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
4 – Dixie Law – Rafael Hernandez – Dale Desruisseaux
5 – Dance To The Music (GB) – William Buick – Charlie Appleby
6 – Hot Mash – Joel Rosario – John Servis
7 – Star Attraction – Pietro Moran – Kevin Attard
8 – Dyna – John Velazquez – Kevin Attard
9 – La Culasse (S) – Lanfranco Dettori – Kevin Attard
10 – Deep Learning – Flavien Prat – Chad Brown
Dave Briggs, for Woodbine
