Rookies share the spotlight in Saturday’s Coronation Futurity, Princess Elizabeth

Graded stakes winner Dixie Law takes on eight rivals in the $250,000 Coronation Futurity, part of an 11-race Saturday Woodbine card that also features the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes.

The 1 1/8-mile Coronation Futurity, a main track event for Canadian-foaled 2-year-olds, is a significant race on the road to the 167th running of The King’s Plate, the first jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. ​

The 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth, a main track fixture for Canadian-foaled 2-year-old fillies, is a key event on the path to the 71st running of the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Stella Artois, the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Tiara series.

Dixie Law, trained by Dale Desruisseaux, will take on the boys in the Coronation Futurity.

“Some of the reasons we chose this over the Princess Elizabeth was that she has already beaten the boys in the Cup & Saucer, and I think the distance of the race is better suited for her,” said Desruisseaux, who is having a career-best season across the board.

A daughter of Tiz the Law out of the Union Rags mare Bit of Dixie, Dixie Law heads into her fourth straight stakes affair off a sterling score in the $150,000 Mazarine (G3) on November 2.

Under regular rider Rafael Hernandez, the bay seized command straightening for home on her way to a 1 ¼-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile main track event for 2-year-old fillies. The final time was 1:46.71.

“She sat behind a slower pace and when Rafi wanted her to go ahead and go on with it, she did,” said Desruisseaux. “Down the lane, I think she was waiting a little bit on horses. I think that is what type of horse she is – she isn’t going to win by 10 or 15 [lengths], opening up on horses. When I work her in the morning, she does the same kind of thing. If a horse comes at her, she will kick back in. I think she is still learning that way.”

It was the second stakes victory for Dixie Law, a homebred for Garland Williamson’s Hillsbrook Farms, who took the Cup & Saucer on October 5.

“Her mind and wanting to be a racehorse,” said Desruisseaux, as to what are the filly’s best attributes. “She has the type of talent that keeps pushing her forward. Anything we have thrown at her she has handled it. And she keeps looking for more.”

Dixie Law broke her maiden at first asking on July 12 at Woodbine. Sent off as the 5-2 choice in the nine-horse field, she rallied stoutly to record a 1 ½-length score in the six-furlong race over the E.P. Taylor turf.

In the Natalma Stakes (G1T) on September 13, she finished sixth at 48-1, only 2 ½-lengths behind the winner, in the one-mile inner turf test for 2-year-olds.

The bay filly, 3-0-0 ($228,444) from four starts, covered five furlongs in 1:00.00 over the main track on November 19, working in tandem with Piper’s Gift, who will contest the Princess Elizabeth.

“It was a very good work. I breezed them together and they did it very well, galloping out in :13 and change.”