Maple Leaf Stakes (Grade 3)- $150.000 Purse
WO- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Quarter on the Dirt
November 8, 2025

There were not many who felt that Be Exceptional was going to win the Maple Leaf Stakes, as she was by far the longest shot on the board at 53/1. She had been struggling, but as we alluded too, she’s had cold funks before and has been able to break out of them. We believed her, not enough to make her our top choice, but she was our second selection, so we could have gotten a piece of those high payouts. Enjoying the most important payout is TwinTowersRacing, who wins the Maple Leaf Stakes for the first time, and that’s also true for jockey D Moran. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 2:01.65, a median such time for the race. Here’s a look at how it happened:

(½ Mile- :47.64)- Our eventual winner from TwinTowersRacing, Be Exceptional, does not waste any time jumping out to the race lead. She leads by a length over a pair of stalkers behind her. Nakamura Stables- trained Spirit Storm runs second, while having SamIam’s Mainstream to her inside. There’s a gap of about two and a half to Atomic Woman (Williams9), with Whispering Willow (Mella Sabella) is a length back to her outside, with a similar margin from her to Petroleum (The Sidley Stud). Trailing the field are Vegas Vie (Our Athletes), then Jersey Delight (Night Rider Stables).

(3/4 Mile- 1:12.22)- Be Exceptional is very comfortable out in front, pulling out to a now two length lead while not killing herself with these fractions. Spirit Storm runs in the second spot, and she has been able to pull a length in front of Mainstream now. Atomic Woman and Whispering Willow still run beside each other in the middle of the pack, while Petroleum is a length behind them. Jersey Delight passes Vegas Vie at the back.

(Top of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Be Exceptional was certainly not looking like a horse that had been struggling as she continued to lead the way and looked to hang on all the way to the wire. Spirit Storm is the only one near her right now, as she’s within two lengths, and there’s gap behind her of two to three as both Atomic Woman and Whispering Willow pass the tiring Mainstream, though have not actually made a run at the front. Petroleum now looks to pass those two to their inside. Further back, still nothing out of Jersey Delight or Vegas Vie.

(Finish- 2:01.65)- They let Be Exceptional get away from them with reasonable fractions, and the 53/1 longshot takes it all the way home for the win! In the stretch, there was no one that really made a challenge to take the win away from her, as Spirit Storm only slightly cut into the advantage, and a late run from Petroleum began too late to make a difference in the win. However, Spirit Storm and Petroleum can share a second-place dead heat, with Whispering Willow holding off Atomic Woman for the fourth-place check. Jersey Delight, Mainstream, and Vegas Vie round it out.

About The Winner- Be Exceptional, trained by TwinTowersRacing and ridden to victory by D Moran, is a five-year-old mare by Love In Charge and is out of New Girl. She was bred in Kentucky by TwinTowersRacing as a second quarter two-year-old, the only trainer for which she has ever known. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her eighth in 35 starts, her fourth stake win and third graded win. Her career earnings are now $1,229.620.

Track: Fast
Time: :47⁴  1:12¹  1:36³  2:01³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 6 – 7 Paid 127.50, 6 – 8 Paid 76.90
$1 Trifecta: 6 – 7 – 8 Paid 738.10, 6 – 8 – 7 Paid 369.50

Scratched: Star Sapphire

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES