Woodbine Entertainment has confirmed that the bet365 Dance Smartly Stakes (Grade 2) will continue to serve as a qualifying race for the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2), maintaining its exciting collaboration with 1/ST Racing. The winner of the $200,000 Dance Smartly Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack on October 3 will secure an automatic entry into the 2027 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf, set to take place at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.
In the inaugural year of this partnership in 2025, Qatar Racing’s Breath Away, trained by Miguel Clement and ridden by Sahin Civaci, won the Dance Smartly Stakes and earned direct qualification to the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational. That year, the race was held on Woodbine’s bet365 Inner Turf while the iconic E.P. Taylor Turf Course underwent an extensive year-long restoration. With those improvements now complete, the 2026 Dance Smartly Stakes will return to the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, running at 1 1/16 miles.
Tim Lawson, Vice President of Thoroughbred Racing at Woodbine, expressed pride in continuing the partnership with 1/ST Racing, highlighting the Dance Smartly Stakes as a key highlight of Woodbine’s turf season and emphasizing its role in increasing the prestige of Pegasus World Cup Day. Since its debut in 2017, the Pegasus World Cup has aimed to rejuvenate Thoroughbred racing by attracting a new generation of fans and offering lucrative rewards for elite competitors.
Aidan Butler, President of 1/ST, noted the partnership’s success in 2025 in generating international attention for both events and creating valuable opportunities for top-level contenders. He looks forward to further strengthening the collaboration with Woodbine in the upcoming race.
The 2026 Dance Smartly Stakes will take place on Saturday, October 3, at Woodbine Racetrack, featured on a card led by the $750,000 Canadian International (G1). The following year, the 2027 Pegasus World Cup is scheduled for January at Gulfstream Park.
For the latest updates on live racing at Woodbine, fans can visit Woodbine.com or follow @WoodbineTB on Instagram, X, and Facebook. Additional information on the 2026 Pegasus World Cup is available at www.pegasusworldcup.com or via @PegasusWorldCup on Instagram and X.
This release was initially published by Paulick Report on September 11, 2026, where it appeared in the News section.
Fan Take: This announcement is a major boost for turf racing enthusiasts, connecting two prestigious events across North America and offering a clear pathway for top fillies and mares to compete on one of the sport’s biggest global stages. By strengthening these international ties, the partnership stands to elevate the profile of turf racing and attract a broader audience to the sport’s evolving future.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
