Say the Word got his first stakes win in thrilling fashion Sunday at Woodbine, coming from the back of the pack at the top of the stretch to win the $300,000 Northern Dancer Turf S. (G1).
The 5-year-old is More Than Ready’s third Grade 1 winner this year and his 25th overall worldwide. The all-time leading Breeders’ Cup sire with seven race wins to date, he has both Uni (GB) and Rushing Fall pointed to the Nov. 6-7 championships at Keeneland.
Say the Word, who had placed in the Singspiel S. (G3) in September, was unhurried in Sunday’s 1 1/2-mile contest. Last of eight out of the gate, the 5-year-old was under restraint from Emma Jayne Wilson through the first five furlongs. Still at the rear of the field coming into the stretch, Wilson swung her mount four-wide and surged past the field, out-running Sir Sahib to win by a length.
“I think this horse kind of likes to know the people that he’s with, so he’s not one that’s easy to shift around all the time,” trainer Gail Cox said. “He also loves this turf course and he loved the distance. Last year, he was sent to me and we ran him on the Tapeta (in the summer of 2019), and it was not to his liking.”
Say the Word is owned by his breeder Sam-Son Farm and is now 5-2-4 in 25 starts and has earned $445,292. His dam is the unraced Danceforthecause, whose only other registered foal to race is Grade 2 winner Rideforthecause. Say the Word’s third dam is Hall of Famer Dance Smartly.
