Highlander Stakes – GII
$200.00 For Four Year Olds And Upward
5 Furlongs – Turf
Woodbine Racetrack – June 27, 2026

Yesterday was the day that Douda came through. The public saw it and sent him to the gate as the 2-1 favorite, and he did not disappoint those backers. In his eleventh stakes try, he showed early speed and then late determination to hit the wire first in an exciting blanket finish. 

Winner: Douda (Spankys Barn/W.T. Buick) Creepy Palace/Class Cherokee (Class Edge) Got a good break from post six and was forwardly placed sitting right behind pacesetter Ineedyou2party on his outside. Was encouraged to go after the leader with a quarter of a mile to go and responded eagerly. Poked a nose in front of the leader with a furlong to go but was barely ahead of the rest of the field that was already under a blanket. Showed grit to gut it out to the wire and hold off the closers by a very short neck.

Second DH: Bayldonite (The Sidley Stud/S. Chemetz) Breath Of The Wild/Diplomatic World (Diplomatic Immunity) Placed mid pack in a tightly packed field. Began to gain and rally in the last quarter mile when the field began to converge on leader Ineedu2party. Was gaining on the leader at the wire but was also being gained on by Because I Want To on the outside. Held second in a dead heat falling a neck short of second stakes win in a row. 

Second DH: Because I Want To (Night Rider Stables/E.J. Wilson) Commanding The Storm/Causeway (Copper Beast) Was at the pack of the field but in a tight bunch and never more than two lengths behind. Seemed to be treading water in the stretch and not making much headway but found his best stride the final furlong and was moving best of all at the end just missing out on the win. Just ran out of ground in a very good graded stakes debut.

Fourth: Bay Another Man (Our Athletes/L. Salles) Man Childe/Awesome Bay (Bay Of Plenty) Broke with the field on the rail and looked like a win threat when rallying on the rail with a furlong to go but weakened slightly in comparison to the field but got up for the final prize.

Preview Pick: Because I Want To – Finished in a dead heat for second at almost 20-1. Needed a stride or two more.

Douda gained his first stakes win with this Highlander score. The win also marks the first time that Spankys Barn and jockey W.T. Buick has won this race. The breakthrough win brings Douda’s lifetime earnings to $411.92. It also places Douda in eight place in qualifying for the BC Turf Sprint and marks the improving four-year-old as one to watch in that category as we moved towards November. 

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES