Graded win for Breath Away in the Gr.2 Dance Smartly Stakes

Bated Breath mare Breath Away closed from last to win the $149,754 Gr.2 Dance Smarty Stakes at Woodbine by half a length, taking the lead in the closing strides of the eight and a half-furlong race (Saturday 4th October).

Taken from The Blood Horse, 4th October 2025, by Byron King:

Sahin Civaci piloted the winner for New York-based trainer Miguel Clement. She was timed in 1:41.74 on firm turf after fractions of :23.13, :47.50, and 1:11.59 set by Hurricane Clair , who weakened to seventh in the stretch.

Breath Away notched her first Graded win and a second straight stakes victory after a late-running triumph in the ungraded Violet Stakes this summer at Monmouth Park. She is a five-time winner in 19 starts for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco, and Marc Levine.

"When she's right, she's really, really good, and today she was right," assistant trainer Lee Vickers said.

Favoured Caitlinhergrtness, who stalked the early pace before taking over in the stretch, held second, two and a half ahead of Ready for Shirl in third.

Breath Away was bought for 230,000gns ($328,027) out of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2021. Bred in Great Britain by Highgate Stud, she is a dark bay or brown five-year-old daughter of Bated Breath out of the Nayef mare Darling Grace . The Dance Smartly winner earned a paid, automatic berth into the Gr.2 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January.