Miss Vyvyanne targets graded breakthrough in Highlander Stakes at Woodbine
Miss Vyvyanne will try to extend a four-race inner-turf streak and land her first graded win in Saturday’s $200,000 Highlander at Woodbine.
Miss Vyvyanne heads into Saturday’s Grade 2 bet365 Highlander Stakes aiming for five consecutive wins on Woodbine’s inner turf. The 6-year-old daughter of Rainbow Heir, out of Caribean Beat, will take on male rivals at five furlongs.
The sharper turns, shorter stretch and her efficient stride fit Woodbine’s inner turf. If she breaks sharply, secures position and gets first run turning for home, she can make the rest of the field chase her.
Claimed for $32,000 last June by Ralph R. Murray and Calstar Farm, Miss Vyvyanne opened her Woodbine inner-turf streak with two five-furlong wins last year, then added victories in August and October. She has also carried that form beyond Toronto, winning her 2026 debut at Gulfstream Park on March 14 by 2 3/4 lengths on synthetic before taking the Golden Beach overnight handicap on April 11 in 1:55.52 over good turf.
Her most recent prep came on May 9, when she was second to Little Teddy in an allowance/optional claimer at Woodbine, still finishing well clear of Cara Cara in third. Little Teddy entered that race as Canada’s 2025 champion female sprinter. Cox said Miss Vyvyanne came back better than ever after Woodbine’s turf season ended and has kept moving forward since her vacation.
Outlaw Kid nearly won the Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes at Laurel Park before missing by a nose to millionaire Chasing Liberty. Golden Afternoon arrives off a Churchill Downs win and already has graded-stakes placings on the resume, while G T Five Hundred adds another proven stakes presence to the field. The Highlander carries a $200,000 guaranteed purse, plus up to $40,000 for eligible Ontario-breds, on a Canada Day weekend card that also includes the HPIbet Royal North, Dominion Day, Selene and Marine Stakes.
The Highlander has been run since 1976, with Long On Value setting the fastest winning time at 1:07.13 in 2018 and Go Blue Or Go Home owning the largest winning margin at 5 1/4 lengths in 2013. Patches O’Houlihan won it last year in 1:08.39 by a neck.
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