Dixie Moon eyes rebound in Selene

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Two-time stakes winner Dixie Moon will try to rebound from an uncharacteristically poor showing when she runs Saturday at Woodbine in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes.

Dixie Moon was a Sovereign Award finalist for champion 2-year-old filly in 2017 after finishing second in the Grade 1 Natalma and beating the boys in the restricted Cup and Saucer Stakes in October. She was a troubled sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar and completed her campaign on the Tapeta here Dec. 2 with a nose win over a weak field in the restricted Ontario Lassie Stakes.

Dixie Moon wintered in Florida with trainer Catherine Day Phillips. Off a fivemonth layoff, she trailed in a nine-horse field over yielding ground in the Grade 2 Appalachian at Keeneland on April 8.

“It was a weird race in many ways,” Day Phillips said. “She scoped with a little mucus. Her blood work was a bit funny. She had a lot of little excuses, I guess, and they add up.”

The 1 1/16-mile Selene is a prep for the June 9 Woodbine Oaks for the Canadian-breds in the field. Dixie Moon might be headed for that prestigious $500,000 fixture.

“It depends on how she handles the synthetic as a 3-year-old,” Day Phillips said. “If she goes well, then obviously the Oaks is in the cards. If she doesn’t, then we’ll go back to the turf. She’s in very good shape. She’s been breezing well, and her blood work looks very good.”

Seven other 3-year-old fillies will contest the $125,000 event.

KEY CONTENDERS

Dixie Moon, by Curlin Last 3 Beyers: 64-66-77

◗ She worked nicely under Eurico Da Silva last Saturday, covering five-eighths in 1:01 in company with the older stakes winner Guy Caballero.

Go Noni Go, by Get Stormy Last 3 Beyers: 77-74-72

◗ The Mike Maker trainee took the Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks over Turfway’s Polytrack in her last race March 17. She has worked fiveeighths twice on the Tapeta here this month.

Get Explicit, by Get Stormy Last 3 Beyers: 76-67-59

◗ She graduated on the grass here last year and was third in a nine-furlong allowance on the Keeneland turf following a layoff April 26.

Remember Daisy, by Misremembered Last 3 Beyers: 70-58-57

◗ She notched two of four starts in Louisiana, including a stakes win in the slop at Delta Downs. This is her debut for trainer Kevin Attard.

Avie’s Mineshaft, by Mineshaft Last 3 Beyers: 60-59-64

◗ She’s stretching out to a suitable distance off a third in her season opener in the Fury Stakes.