Serious Attitude, the lone filly in the field of 12, rallied from off the pace and rolled home at a price to win the $500,000 Nearctic Stakes (Can-IT) (VIDEO), a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” event, at Woodbine Oct. 16.
The filly, who paid $48.20 to win, covered the six furlongs on good turf in 1:09.37. She will be awarded a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT) at Churchill Downs Nov. 6.
Serious Attitude, owned by Derek Willis and trainer Rae Guest, had failed to hit the board in her last four starts against males in group I and group II company in Great Britain. In her most recent start Sept. 26, Serious Attitude finished fifth in the group II Diadem Stakes at Ascot.
Garrett Gomez rode the winner, who won for the fifth time in 12 starts. The winning margin was 2 1/2 lengths.
Grand Adventure battled throughout in the Nearctic and held best among the early leaders. He finished second by 3 1/4 lengths, while Fatal Bullet, who disputed the early pace (:22.98 for the opening quarter and :45.69 for the half-mile) three-wide for most of the race, held off late-runners to capture third by a neck.
Serious Attitude, a 4-year-old by Mtoto out of the Cape Cross mare Zameyla, was bred in Ireland by Paddy Twomey.
