Diamond Rain Back to Avenge E. P. Taylor Defeat

After coming up a head short to subsequent champion She Feels Pretty in the E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) in 2025, Godolphin homebred Diamond Rain (GB) is back to avenge herself in the CA$750,000 contest this year. The daughter of Shamardal is listed as a clear 7-5 favorite for trainer Charlie Appleby in the 1 1/4-mile race, a distance at which she is 2-2-0 from five starts. Third in last year's Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T)—a race in which the E. P. Taylor winner receives an automatic, fees-paid berth through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In—Diamond Rain opened the season with a pair of on-the-board defeats before taking a listed stakes July 24 at York Racecourse in preparation for this assignment. The 5-year-old mare is one of four European runners making up the field of eight, including another runner from Godolphin. Trained by Charlie Johnston, 3-year-old Venetian Lace (IRE) is dual group 1-placed and aims to get back in the winner's column following a summer of tough defeats. Also traveling over from across the pond are Arturo Cousino's group 2 winner Jancis (IRE) for trainer Willie McCreery and J. C. Smith's multiple group winner See The Fire (GB), who was ninth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf last year. The North American-based half of the field is led by Newstead Stables' South African-bred Gimme a Nother (SAF). Trained by Graham Motion, the 6-year-old mare was runner-up by a head over the course last year and has since picked off three straight graded wins while showing the ability to be on or off the pace. She faces familiar rivals as Mark Casse-trained and D. J. Stable-owned Achieve returns after setting the pace in the Aug. 1 Beverly D. Stakes (G2T) at Colonial Downs before Gimme a Nother ran her down by a neck. Brendan Walsh also ships in with X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing's Somethinabouther, who was third in the Beverly D. by a half-length. Lou Donato, Theodore Manziaris, Paul Borrelli, and Lanni Bloodstock's dual grade 3 winner Sultana is the lone Woodbine-based horse attempting to hold down the fort. The Kevin Attard trainee in the field's longest shot at 20-1. Woodbine's Tapeta Hosts Pair of Grade 3s The E. P. Taylor completes a blockbuster card at Woodbine that features four grade 1 turf races that are all part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. There are also a pair of CA$175,000 grade 3 events on the Tapeta. In the 7-furlong Vigil Stakes (G3), Chiefswood Stables' Piper's Factor is the 8-5 favorite from the rail in an eight-horse field. A son of The Factor trained by Katerina Vassilieva, the 5-year-old shortens up and returns to Tapeta after losing the 1-mile King Edward Stakes (G2T) by a nose after setting the pace Aug. 15. Among his competition is last year's King's Plate Stakes winner Mansetti and the first- and third-place finishers, respectively, of the Aug. 15 Bold Venture Stakes (G3), Souped Up and Notorious Gangster. The morning-line favorite also breaks from the rail in the 1 1/16-mile Ontario Matron Stakes (G3) for fillies and mares as Carl R. Moore Management's Fantastical exits a head victory in the July 25 Trillium Stakes (G3) going 1 1/8 miles at Woodbine for trainer Joe Sharp. Trillium runner-up by a head Lupa (IRE) is back for the rematch and is joined by stablemate Serendipity from the Canadian Hall of Fame barn of Josie Carroll.