2024 Natalma Stakes Preview

The Grade 1, $500,000 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack is one of the most important races for juvenile grass fillies in North America. The one-mile turf race drew a field of 13 to battle for not only that purse but also an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The race is one of the features on a loaded Woodbine card on Saturday, September 16; the card also includes the Woodbine Mile (G1) and the Summer Stakes (G1), both of which are top-level races that offer Breeders’ Cup bids as well. The E. P. Taylor (G1) is another Grade 1 on the card, though no Breeders’ Cup bid is at stake in that one.

One horse has swept the Natalma and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Catch a Glimpse, who is now the namesake of the local prep race for the Natalma. Stephanie’s Kitten, who won that Breeders’ Cup race in 2011, was third in the Natalma two starts before that triumph.

2024 Natalma Stakes Information

• Race Date: Saturday, September 14, 2022
• Track: Woodbine Racetrack in Etobicoke, Ontario
• Post Time: 3:25 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
• Distance: one mile on the E. P. Taylor turf course
• Age/Sex: two-year-old fillies
• Where to Watch: FanDuel TV
• Where to Bet: FanDuel Racing

Natalma Stakes Draw and Odds

This is the full field for the 2024 edition of the Natalma Stakes, including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds.

Natalma Stakes Prep Race Results

Among the thirteen runners in the Natalma Stakes, only four come out of stakes races, with two coming out of graded-stakes or group stakes company. Mountain Breeze was most recently second in the Sweet Solera (G3), going seven furlongs on the Newmarket lawn, while Italian Soiree was second in the Adirondack (G3) at Saratoga and tries lawn for the first time.

Though the winner Shifty is not entered in the Natalma Stakes, the second and fourth place finishers in the Catch a Glimpse Stakes, the local prep for this race, press on. Ready for Candy sat midfield and chased on earnestly in the lane to finish second by 3 ¼ lengths, while Will Reign was hung wide and rallied for fourth.

The other nine entrants all come out of maiden special weights. Vixen won going a mile on the grass at Ellis Park; Winterberry also graduated at a mile, but did so on the Tapeta at Woodbine. Nitrogen has also gone a mile, but missed by a neck on the inner turf at Woodbine. Latin Fever won at 7 ½ furlongs on the lawn at Leopardstown, Ready to Battle won at seven furlongs on the Woodbine Tapeta, and Thread both won at 6 ½ furlongs on the Tapeta at Woodbine. And One More Time graduated on dirt, going 5 ½ furlongs in the mud at the Spa. Arctic Velocity has tried 6 ½ furlongs on Tapeta, but finished tenth in that race, her debut.

Annascaul is the only one who comes out of a restricted maiden. A New York-bred, she wired a 5 ½-furlong turf sprint and stretches out for this.

Natalma Stakes Contenders

These 13 runners, organized by post position, are contesting the 2024 Natalma Stakes.

1. Annascaul: She sent to the front and led the field around on debut in a maiden turf sprint for New York-breds at Saratoga. It was a good debut, and the American Pharoah on top of her pedigree supports the stretch out, though she may be forced to send from the fence and she’ll need to improve despite the challenging post.
2. Italian Soiree: She romped in stalk-and-pounce fashion over the Belmont dirt, and finished a chasing second in the Adirondack in her second start. Now she tries grass for the first time: her dam has produced a turf winner, sire Uncle Mo is solid on grass, and the extra distance should move her forward. So, she has some seasoning and a lot of upside.
3. Nitrogen: She is one of the few maidens in the field, but only missed by a neck on debut and kept boxing on after doing the dirty work going a mile. She will have to move forward, though she has shown talent, and now she’ll be facing a lot of horses who have no experience at the mile. Maybe a better-timed move from new rider John Velazquez will move her up.
4. Winterberry: She debuted in a 6 ½-furlong maiden race on August 24, made the front, and led them all the way around. She should take well to the extra distance, and though her pedigree is quite dirt-focused, Tapeta form often transfers to the lawn. The trouble is, she’ll have more to wrangle with up front than last time, but if she can handle it she shapes as a contender.
5. Ready to Battle: She showed little when debuting in a turf route at Saratoga in July, but was closer up early and held on late to win in a seven-furlong Tapeta maiden at Woodbine last month. Her pedigree does read for distance, and if she got anything out of that Saratoga debut she may be ready to move forward again, but she may need more time yet to mature.
6. Will Reign: She is a maiden after two starts, but has stakes experience, rallying for fourth in the Catch a Glimpse on August 23. Blinkers may have her a bit closer to the pace, and are a positive move for trainer Mark Casse. First-time routes are also a very good move for Casse, and her breeding supports it. She could spice up exotics.
7. And One More Time: She didn’t fire on debut in a 4 ½-furlong baby race at Churchill on the dirt, but stalked and pounced to win an off-turf sprint at Saratoga last month. She did that in fast fashion and gets good local big-race rider Rafael Hernandez. Turf is the question, as she has yet to race over it, but she is half to Churchtown, Honor D Lady, and Simply In Front—a trio of stakes winners on the green stuff. She has a lot of long-shot potential.
8. Ready for Candy: A maiden after three starts, she has run well in both her tries on grass, missing by a nose in maiden company and chasing for second in the Catch a Glimpse. She’ll need to take a step forward in this spot, but it’s a positive that jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson keeps the faith.
9. Latin Fever: She won a 7 ½-furlong maiden race by a neck at Leopardstown in July at 80-1 odds, and was promptly snapped up by new North American connections. She can pass horses, and the good form at just under a mile bodes well for her ability to handle this trip. She is a bit of a wild card, but she has upside.
10. Arctic Velocity: She showed little on debut, lagging at the rear, making a modest middle move, and emptying out to finish a well-beaten tenth in a 6 ½-furlong maiden sprint on Tapeta. A bit more ground isn’t a bad thing, but she did not show anything on debut to suggest she is ready to step up to a Grade 1.
11. Vixen: She ran a credible third sprinting on the Ellis lawn on debut, and then improved to win in pace-pressing fashion at the mile second-out. She’ll need to move forward from a speed perspective from this deeper field, though, and it isn’t great that she has Thread, another speed horse, outside her. But, if Thread takes back, she could work an outside pressing trip.
12. Thread: Both her starts have been good tries at extended sprints on the Tapeta, and she galloped clear to a 5 ½-length win second out. She is liable to handle the stretch out, though neither of her races have come out terribly fast, and she is going to have to take a step up against this deeper field.
13. Mountain Breeze: The morning-line favorite for Charlie Appleby, she hails from a barn who knows how to pick European horses who will succeed in North America. With five starts she has seasoning many of her foes lack, and though she has not stretched out past seven furlongs, her pedigree suggests she’ll have no trouble. And, with the extended run into the turn, she has plenty of time to drop in somewhere and not lose ground.

Natalma Stakes FAQ

Q: When is the Natalma Stakes?

A: The Natalma Stakes (or, for sponsorship purposes, the Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes) happens on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at 3:25 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race is carded as the fifth of 12 on the card.

Q: Where is the Natalma Stakes?

A: The race happens at Woodbine Racetrack in Etobicoke, Ontario.

Q: Which trainer has the most wins in the Natalma Stakes?

A: Mark Casse won this race seven times between 2006 and 2016, most prominently with Catch a Glimpse (2015). Casse has eight chances to extend that record to eight wins this year: Nitrogen, Winterberry, Ready to Battle, Will Reign, And One More Time, Latin Fever, Vixen, and Thread.

Q: Who is the favorite for the Natalma Stakes?

A: Outside-drawn Mountain Breeze is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for Charlie Appleby. With two wins and a pair of Group-level placings abroad, she is likely to hold favoritism come post time.

Q: Who is the best Natalma Stakes jockey?

A: Todd Kabel leads all jockeys with five wins in this race between 1993 and 2002. Among jockeys entered in the 2024 edition of this race, Emma-Jayne Wilson and Patrick Husbands lead with two victories. Wilson will ride Ready for Candy, while Husbands will take a call on either Winterberry or Thread.

Q: Who won the Natalma Stakes in 2023?

A: She Feels Pretty made the grade in the 2023 Natalma Stakes for trainer Cherie DeVaux and jockey John Velazquez. DeVaux does not have an entrant in 2024, though Velazquez will take the call on either Nitrogen or Vixen.

New to FanDuel Racing? Place your first bet on any race at any track and get it back in Racing Bonus if it doesn’t win! Valid in participating states. See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Looking for horse racing betting opportunities? Head over to FanDuel Racing to see all of today’s horse racing odds.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.