Natalma Stakes – (Grade l) [BC]

Purse $500.00 – For Fillies Two Years Old

One Mile – Turf

Woodbine – September 12, 2026

The two-year-old filly turf division takes center stage this Saturday at Woodbine in the 21st running of the Grade One Natalma Stakes! A talented field will battle over one mile on the grass with the winner securing a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. This race debuted as a Grade Three event with a purse of $125.00, but its stature has grown considerably over the years. It was elevated to Grade One status in 2016 and now offers a healthy $500.00 purse. No owner has been more successful in the Natalma Stakes than Mb Stables, who has four wins in the past five years. M.b.o Racing Stables’ Cinis set the stakes record back in 2016 when she closed from off the pace and completed the mile in 1:33.35. That mark still stands as the fastest time ever recorded by a two-year-old filly going one mile at Woodbine. Only three of the eight entrants this year have previously raced on grass, making this an especially difficult field to handicap with so many unanswered questions. Let’s go through each contender!

1. Amazingly – (Maxmillion Farm, Mar. Garcia) Homebred for Maxmillion Farm who remains a maiden through four starts on the dirt. Amazingly finished second after showing speed in her debut but has failed to hit the board in three starts since. She pretty much did the same thing last time out at Saratoga, finishing fifth going 5 1/2 furlongs. There is not much turf influence in this New York-bred’s pedigree, although her recent works over the grass have been encouraging—including a six-furlong drill in 1:10.88 and a mile in 1:35.57. She will now make both her turf and route debut against Grade One company, making this an ambitious assignment. Maxmillion Farm is also looking for his first Natalma.

2. Grand And Lucky – (Greyhound, J R. Velazquez) This filly has put together two wins and one second-place finish through four career starts. Grand And Lucky graduated on debut at Aqueduct before switching to the grass for the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream Park. She took control in the stretch that afternoon but was caught by a nose at the wire in a very encouraging turf debut. This daughter of Lucky Brandy returned to the main track and went wire-to-wire against allowance company at Woodbine before finishing a close fourth—beaten only three-quarters of a length in the Grade Three Adirondack. Her confirmation points toward routing as well. This will be my top pick.

3. Death Certificate – (John Henry, T. Gaffalione) John Henry sends out this Florida-bred filly who has recorded one victory and one third-place finish through four starts. After debuting in a short two-furlong dash, Death Certificate stretched out to 5 1/2 furlongs at Parx and rallied from last to break her maiden by a quarter-length. She produced another strong late run in the My Dear Stakes at Woodbine, advancing from ninth to get third while beaten only one length. The same closing kick wasn’t a success in the Grade Three Adirondack—finishing eighth. She has yet to race or record a published workout on grass, but a pair of recent one-mile drills at Saratoga should help prepare her for the added distance.

4. Yosemite Fear – (Mb Stables, R. Santana Jr.) Connections purchased this filly for $35.00 last December, and she has already won twice while earning $109.80. After coming up short in her two-furlong debut, Yosemite Fear broke her maiden on the dirt at Churchill Downs and followed that effort with a front-running allowance victory at Saratoga. She stepped up to graded company in the Grade Three Sorrento Stakes last time out and briefly took the lead before finishing seventh—only two lengths behind the winner. Her sire, Face Your Fears, was a multiple graded-stakes winner on the turf, giving this Kentucky-bred plenty of reason to handle the surface switch. Conformation also points towards going long.

5. Gamayun – (Delta Farms, E. Esquivel) Delta Farms bred this lightly raced filly, who made an immediate impression by winning her lone start on the turf. Sent off at double-digit odds in a five-furlong MSW at Fort Erie, Gamayun settled just behind the early leaders before taking over and scoring by one length. Both her sire, Beast, and dam, Z Grayte One Z, are turf winners and provide a pedigree that should continue to suit the surface. Connections have kept this filly on the grass for five consecutive workouts since that debut, including two six-furlong moves around 1:10. Gamayun now jumps directly from a five-furlong maiden victory to a one-mile Grade One in only her second start, making this a significant test.

6. All Your Sisters – (Mo Mentum Farm, B. Curtis) Bought privately for $100.00 back in February from South Shore Stables. All Your Sisters rallied from well off the pace to finish third in her debut at Albuquerque before turning in a close fourth over six furlongs at Del Mar. Stretching out to one mile brought out her best last time out, as this California-bred closed from last to score by one length to break her maiden. Her sire, Cherokee Sunset was a stakes winner on the turf, while her dam, Open For Business also won on the grass. She prepared for her surface debut with a four-furlong drill in 48.14 over the yielding Woodbine turf. All Your Sisters’ proven stamina and turf-oriented pedigree give her an interesting foundation for the challenge.

7. Silver Champ – (La Canada Racehorses, S X. Bridgmohan) Consistency has been the strength of this homebred for La Canada Racehorses, as she has hit the board in all four career starts. Silver Champ began her career on the dirt with a third at Parx and a runner-up effort at Ellis Park before switching to the Saratoga turf. She missed by only a neck against MSW company in her grass debut before returning to capture a $35.00 maiden claimer by three lengths. That gives this New York-bred a win and a third from two starts on the surface, making her one of the more turf-proven runners in this field. Silver Champ also turned in a sharp one-mile grass workout in 1:35.59 at Del Mar—the fastest of six at the distance.

8. Go Woke Go Broke – (TwinTowersRacing, R M. Hernandez) Go Woke Go Broke debuted with a late-running fourth at Emerald Downs before shipping to Saratoga and stretching out to six furlongs. She settled near the back over a muddy track that afternoon before sweeping to the lead and drawing clear by two lengths to break her maiden. This filly’s closing style suggests the added distance could work in her favor, while her sire, Van Gogh, is a turf winner and provides some support for the surface change. She has no grass experience or published turf workouts, although a steady series of six-furlong drills should have her fit for the challenge. A step forward will be needed to turn the tables in here.

– AJM

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES