Gimme a Nother has already made the United States her home away from home
The South African champion secured her most significant victory since relocating to the United States by capturing the E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1) at Woodbine; Al Hudaiba and Voyager also starred on the Canadian card, winning the Summer Stakes (G1) and Natalma Stakes (G1), respectively
TORONTO, Canada (Special for Turf Diario).— Gimme a Nother traveled halfway around the world with an unblemished record on her shoulders and, following a natural period of adjustment, turned winning back into a habit. The extraordinary South African mare reached one of the absolute highlights of her career Saturday by taking the E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1-2000m, turf) at Woodbine, additionally securing a berth in the upcoming Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).
With John Velazquez in the irons, the daughter of Gimmethegreenlight enjoyed a textbook journey. Saving ground behind the pacesetters, she waited for the stretch to launch her bid. Once a seam opened, she accelerated through to gain the decisive advantage, holding off a late-closing surge from a bunched field.
See The Fire (Sea the Stars) finished second by a neck, while Jancis (Tamayuz), owned by Chilean native Arturo Cousiño, was third and Venetian Lace (Masar) rounded out the superfecta in an extremely tight finish. Gimme a Nother stopped the clock at 2m2s71/100 over firm turf.
For the Newstead Stables colorbearer, it marked her fourth consecutive stakes victory in the United States, a streak initiated in September 2025 with the John C. Mabee Stakes (G2) at Del Mar, and continued this season in the Eatontown Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park and the Beverly D. Stakes (G2) at Colonial Downs.
The achievement holds even greater significance given Gimme a Nother arrived from South Africa unbeaten, a condition that naturally placed immense pressure on trainer Graham Motion when she joined his stable.
“She came to me unbeaten and that brought a lot of pressure, but she’s been extraordinary,” acknowledged the trainer, who attempted to target the Breeders' Cup with her last year without success. Following a winter rest, the mare has not suffered a single setback.
Bred in South Africa by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Gimme a Nother is by Gimmethegreenlight out of Nother Russia, by Tiger Ridge.
She will now finally get the opportunity Motion envisioned in 2025. The E.P. Taylor forms part of the Win and You're In program, guaranteeing her an expenses-paid starting spot in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf on October 31 at Keeneland.
Al Hudaiba Delivers
The Woodbine card also yielded two new contenders for the Breeders' Cup juvenile contests.
Among the colts, Al Hudaiba vindicated his favorite status by prevailing by 1 3/4 lengths in the Summer Stakes (G1-1600m, turf). The son of Dark Angel, a homebred for Godolphin, made his North American debut after winning 3 of his 5 starts in England, including the Superlative Stakes (G2) at Newmarket. William Buick rode for Charlie Appleby and had to navigate some late greenness from his mount, who drifted outwards upon striking the front.
Oscar (Oscar Performance) finished second, ahead of Induction (Scalding) and Big Money Man (No Nay Never), as Al Hudaiba completed the mile in 1m35s66/100.
The Summer represented the third victory in the event for both Appleby and Godolphin, granting Al Hudaiba direct entry into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).
Voyager Steps Up
In the juvenile fillies division, the surprise of the afternoon arrived courtesy of Voyager, who scored by 1 1/4 lengths in the Natalma Stakes (G1-1600m, turf). Javier Castellano bided his time aboard the daughter of Justify before initiating a sweeping move 600 meters out. Angled wide for the drive, Voyager finished with tremendous power to reel in De la Renta (Oscar Performance), with Embouteillage (Kingman) finishing third. Her final time of 1m35s06/100 proved even faster than the mark posted later by Al Hudaiba.
Trained by Mark Casse, Voyager notched her second win in just 4 career starts. She had broken her maiden on August 1 at Saratoga upon debuting on turf. D.J. Stable acquired her for $300,000 at Keeneland in January 2025. She also punch her ticket to Keeneland, as the Natalma provided a spot in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).
Woodbine thus distributed key tickets to the Breeders' Cup. Al Hudaiba and Voyager will head to Keeneland as two rapidly ascending juveniles; Gimme a Nother will do so carrying a vastly different narrative—that of a South Africanchampion who crossed the ocean, rediscovered her winning habit, and will now finally get her chance at the global glory that eluded her twelve months ago.
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