Sweet Briar Too

Purse $125.00 – For Fillies And Mares Three Years Old And Upward

6 Furlongs – Turf

Woodbine – September 19, 2026

The 5th running of the Sweet Briar Too will bring together seven competitive fillies and mares sprinting on the grass for a chance to add some more black type to their résumés. If you weren’t familiar, Sweet Briar Too was bred to Danzig and produced Langfuhr in 1992, a Grade One winner, Canadian Champion Sprinter, and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee. This race debuted on the dirt in 2022 before moving to the turf in 2024. No owner has won this stake more than once, and that trend will continue with none of the previous winning connections represented in this year’s field. That guarantees a new name will be added to the list of winning owners. The six-furlong stakes record was set last year when Shes Funky and Spectator hit the wire together in a dead heat, stopping the clock at 1:08.62. There is going to be plenty of talent put on display this Saturday with some up-and-coming fillies added to the mix as well. Let’s take a closer look at each contender!

1. Falling Cougar – (Nakamura Stables, E J. Wilson) Nakamura Stables sends out this highly accomplished turf sprinter with 16 victories and 12 runner-up finishes from 36 starts on the grass. The seven-year-old has finished in the top three in all five outings this year, opening with a third at Santa Anita before rallying from off the speed to win the Ladies Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park. Falling Cougar followed with another third in the Monrovia (G3) and then shipped to Woodbine, where she closed from last to finish three lengths behind in a seven-furlong allowance. The daughter of Falling Angel returned to five furlongs for the Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar last time out and delivered as the odds-on favorite, getting up by a head after settling just off the pace. Six furlongs falls comfortably within her range. Contender.

2. Drole de Fille – (Axeman, S. Civaci) This Kentucky-bred returns to sprinting after two strong route efforts at Monmouth. Drole de Fille has won three of seven starts this year, using her front-running style to score over five furlongs at Gulfstream Park and Churchill Downs before stretching out to 1 1/16 miles in an N4X. She made an appearance in the Violet Stakes last time out, holding a slight advantage in the stretch before getting third by only three-quarters of a length over soft ground. The daughter of Funny Cide has prior experience over this Woodbine turf course having finished second in a seven-furlong MSW as a two-year-old. The cutback to six furlongs should place her speed on full display, and Drole de Fille could prove difficult to reel in if allowed to get into a comfortable rhythm up front.

3. Mad Magazine – (Temulac Farm, P. Moran) Mad Magazine enters for Temulac Farm with a dirt-proven résumé but will be making only her second career start on the turf. Her lone grass appearance came in her debut over 1 1/16 miles at Belterra Park, where she took command in the stretch before finishing second by two lengths. After winning five times in 2025, this four-year-old was claimed from Angelos Stable in April for $20.00 out of a state-bred N2X at Santa Anita. The best this filly has done for her new connections has been a victory in a starter allowance and a third by two lengths in a six-furlong claimer at Saratoga. The return to grass remains the biggest question, but her bullet six-furlong turf workout in 1:09.97 at Churchill suggests she could be ready to handle the surface switch.

4. China Grove – (Xcel Racing, J V. Bridgmohan) Having finished first or second in 17 of her 23 starts on the grass, it’s no secret China Grove has been extremely consistent. Claimed from Luz International for $20.00 in June 2025, she got either first or second in all four starts for her new connections through the rest of the year before opening 2026 with three consecutive victories. That streak carried her from a five-furlong starter allowance at Gulfstream Park to the Mardi Gras Stakes and then the Monrovia (G3), where she battled near the lead and prevailed by a nose over 6 1/2 furlongs. China Grove was beaten only one length when fourth in the Unbridled Sidney (G2) before finishing eighth by just two lengths in the Caress (G2). The daughter of Z Grayte One returned to winning form in the Incredible Revenge Stakes last time out. Watch out.

5. Pride Cometh – (Mo Mentum Farm, W T. Buick) This Ontario-bred has a ton of Woodbine experience and has proven form on both turf and dirt. Pride Cometh has hit the board in six of seven starts this season, opening with a second and a third in a pair of five-furlong turf allowances at Fair Grounds before getting third over a mile at Keeneland. She then switched to the dirt and captured a seven-furlong N1X at Parx. The daughter of Fairfield Road earned some black type with a third-place finish in the Great Lady M back in July at odds of 999-1. Pride Cometh failed to make an impact in the Hendrie (G3) but responded nicely when returned to the Woodbine turf last time out. She rallied from the back of the five-horse field to miss by only a neck in the Zadracarta Stakes. Step up is needed

6. Bohemian Bourbon – (John Henry, D. Moran) Bohemian Bourbon returns to the paid HRP circuit for new owner John Henry with an outstanding record of 18 victories from 44 starts on the turf. Before her final start on the paid side in October 2024, the veteran mare had established herself as a proven turf sprinter with a victory in The Very One Stakes and a third-place finish in the KD Ladies Sprint (G3) among her accomplishments. After Smokey Stover stepped away from HRP, he sold the homebred to Spinetingling for $1.00 in January 2025, and she spent the next year and a half competing on the free-track circuit. Bohemian Bourbon finished second in her first three starts there before reeling off seven consecutive victories at distances ranging from five furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. Spinetingling sold this eight-year-old to John Henry for $200.00 on September 3rd. Her lengthy winning streak and proven back class make her one of the field’s most intriguing runners.

7. Fun Dip – (Jokerjoes, L. Contreras) A battle-tested multiple graded stakes winner who has finished first or second in 23 of her 35 starts on the turf. Fun Dip enjoyed an outstanding 2025 campaign that included runner-up finishes in the Megahertz (G3) and Buena Vista (G2), a victory in the Royal North (G3), and a fourth-place finish by only one length in the Matriarch (G1). After opening this year with a fifth against state-bred company, this six-year-old missed by a neck going a mile before cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs and drawing clear by four lengths at Santa Anita. She carried that momentum to Woodbine, defeating Falling Cougar in a seven-furlong allowance and successfully defending her Royal North title with a two-length victory. Fun Dip ran against the boys last time out going a mile and came up short as the favorite. No doubt my top pick.

– AJM

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded