Chris Lomon, Woodbine
TORONTO, November 29, 2025 – Piper’s Gift presented an electrifying performance in Saturday’s $250,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes, a main track race for Canadian-foaled 2-year-old fillies, and a key event on the path to the 71st running of the Woodbine Oaks presented by Stella Artois, the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Tiara series.
It was Bells of Paradise who swept to the early lead, followed by the trio of Ashlee B, Piper’s Gift and La Culasse through an opening quarter in 24:63.
Bells of Paradise continued to roll along on the front end, holding a 1 1/2-length lead over La Culasse through a half in :49.95, as 2-5 Piper’s Gift, under Rafael Hernandez, watched the proceedings from along the rail in third.
As the field navigated the turn for home, Bells of Paradise braced for the challenge of multiple rivals, including Piper’s Gift, who loomed a menacing presence to her outside.
By mid-stretch, the race was on for second, as Piper’s Gift poured it on with every stride, galloping away from her foes with ease en route to a 4 ½-length score. Katie’s Grace, who bobbled at the start, recovered well to finish second, a neck in front of 64-1 Ashlee B. La Culasse was fourth.
The final time was 1:46.39.
Trainer Dale Desruisseaux, enjoying his most successful year to date, heaped praise on the filly who arrived at the Princess Elizabeth off her first stakes crown, the Glorious Song, a seven-furlong main track event for 2-year-old fillies, on October 12.\
“I think once he (Hernandez) got her covered up, she relaxed for him, and that’s what we were looking for when we talked earlier this morning,” said Desruisseaux. “And once she got relaxed, I was pretty confident.
“She’s a little headstrong in the mornings, but my gallop girl does a great job with her. We’ve been training her behind horses since the last race, trying to get her to relax, and it’s paid off.”
Robert Landry, a Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the reins as General Manager of Chiefswood Stables, also applauded the efforts of Piper’s Gift.
“She hasn’t done too much wrong this year,” said Landry, of the Chiefswood Stables homebred. “She’s a special filly.”
The daughter of Yorkton out of the Silent Name (JPN) mare Piper’s Legacy finished second in her debut at Woodbine on July 26, before a fifth in the Catch a Glimpse Stakes on August 16.
Piper’s Gift broke her maiden on September 20 at Woodbine, an eight-length win in a six-furlong main track maiden special weight race.
“We’ll give her some time,” said Landry. “Obviously, I’ll speak with the owners and Dale, but the ideal situation would be to give her a little bit of time, give her a chance to grow a little bit and mature, and start her back up in maybe six to eight weeks, and maybe have her ready for Keeneland or early here.”
Kyle MacDonald is the groom.
Piper’s Gift, now 3-1-0 from five starts, paid $2.90 for the win, while Hernandez celebrated his colony-leading 23rd stakes victory of the season.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
Fire and Wine pours it on in Coronation Futurity
TORONTO, November 29, 2025 – Fire and Wine uncorked a vintage wire-to-wire performance to win the $250,000 Coronation Futurity, on Saturday at Woodbine.
The 1 1/8-mile event for 2-year-olds foaled in Canada is a significant race on the road to the 167th running of The King’s Plate, first jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.
Fire and Wine, trained by Zeljko Krcmar for owner Paul Ryder, is one to keep tabs on after an outstanding effort on a cold early evening at the Toronto oval.
Sent on his way at 16-1 in the field of nine, Fire and Wine, with Slade Jones in the irons, crossed over from post seven to seize command with ease, as 6-5 choice Dixie Law settled into second, followed by Navy Street and Military Time.
The bay colt held a two-length advantage over Dixie Law through an opening panel in :24.08, with Navy Street positioned third and Military Time in fourth.
Fire and Wine extended his lead to four lengths over that same rival through a half in :49.59 and was still running along comfortably through three-quarters reached in 1:13.98.
The son of Lexitonian out of The Factor mare Double Latte, making his stakes debut, looked like there was plenty left in the tank coming out of the turn for the stretch drive, while his pursuers looked to reel in the freewheeling longshot down the lane.
Ahead by five lengths at Robert Geller’s stretch call, Fire and Wine went on to win by the same margin. Military Time was second, 1 ¾ lengths ahead of a late-closing Imyourmedicineman. Dixie Law was fourth.
The final time was 1:51.90 for the Zeljko Krcmar trainee.
“I had a lot of confidence in him,” said Jones, Canada’s champion apprentice of 2022. “I know he was a really good horse. I get on him all the time. He just has that big stride and he just keeps running. I told myself I would go to the lead and make them come after me. It played out great that way.
“Once I got to the half-mile pole and I kind of felt him underneath me, I had a lot of confidence right about there. I knew he had a lot to go, so I knew it would be a fight no matter what. I didn’t expect him to kick on like that, but he ran a huge race.”
Krcmar, who recorded his fifth career stakes victory, watched Fire and Wine break his maiden in his start prior to the Coronation Futurity, a 13-length romp at one mile and 70 yards over the Woodbine main track on October 19.
On Saturday, he celebrated a milestone victory with Ryder, his lifelong friend.
“It’s nice to see it,” said Krcmar. “He deserves something very good.”
Not that Ryder saw it coming.
“I am still thinking about it – it’s unreal. I didn’t think he could do it [win] again, to be honest. I thought that was a little bit of a fluke last time. When I saw him go out and take the lead and open it up to six or seven [lengths], I thought, ‘My God, he is going to do it again.’ And then he had something left in the stretch and he just opened up. He’s an amazing horse.”
Fire and Wine debuted on June 8 at Woodbine and finished sixth in the five-furlong main track race. He posted a trio of thirds and seventh ahead of that maiden-breaking effort last month.
Bred in Ontario by James and Janeane Everatt, Arika Meeuse and Robert Marzilli, the colt was originally a $5,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February Mixed Sale.
He paid $34.60 for the win.
Fire and Wine and jockey Slade Jones winning the Coronation Futurity Stakes on November 29, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
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Fire and Wine and jockey Slade Jones winning the Coronation Futurity Stakes on November 29, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
Fire and Wine and jockey Slade Jones winning the Coronation Futurity Stakes on November 29, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
Fire and Wine and jockey Slade Jones winning the Coronation Futurity Stakes on November 29, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
Piper’s Gift and jockey Rafael Hernandez winning the Coronation Futurity on November 29, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
Piper’s Gift and jockey Rafael Hernandez winning the Coronation Futurity on November 29, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
Piper’s Gift and jockey Rafael Hernandez winning the Coronation Futurity on November 29, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)
