Brandy and Me overcame a crowded field and a difficult trip from the inside draw to maintain an unbeaten record in Sunday’s $200,000 Algoma Stakes at Woodbine.
Algoma Stakes 2026 provided Brandy and Me with another opportunity to confirm the promise of an impressive debut, and the three-year-old filly delivered with a composed performance over seven furlongs.
Drawn in post one, Brandy and Me was slightly unsettled as the gates opened, shifting to the left before quickly recovering. Jockey Jason Hoyte, aboard for the second time, settled the filly along the rail as the field moved into the early stages.
Souper Diva established the pace, with Arianna’s Tour tracking in second and Flying Schulzy sitting third. Brandy and Me travelled comfortably in sixth, saving ground through the opening quarter-mile in 22.61 seconds.
Hoyte continued to keep the filly close to the inside as the race developed. By the half-mile point, reached in 45.33 seconds, Brandy and Me had advanced into second and was beginning to put pressure on the leader.
The decisive move came approaching the two-furlong marker. Hoyte guided Brandy and Me away from the rail and sent the filly after Souper Diva. The pair drew level just inside the final furlong before Brandy and Me found another gear.
She pulled clear in the closing stages to score by two and a half lengths, completing the seven furlongs in 1:22.98. The six-furlong split was 1:10.08.
The victory marked only the second start of Brandy and Me’s career, but the manner of the performance suggested there could be considerably more to come.
Purchased for C$25,000 at the 2024 CTHS yearling sale, Brandy and Me did not race at two. The Ontario-bred made a striking first appearance in August, coming from eighth in a nine-horse maiden field to win by five and a half lengths under Hoyte.
That debut success immediately raised expectations around a filly who had taken some time to reach the track. Her Algoma Stakes victory has now given those early impressions a stronger foundation.
Trained by Evette Chartrand-Hoek, Brandy and Me was bred in Ontario by Keith McClelland and Rachel McClelland. The filly is owned by Sue Leslie V & S Kay and Chris Odell.
Brandy and Me, by Silent Name out of Aquinnah, by City Place, is now unbeaten in two starts and has added valuable stakes form to an encouraging beginning.
Hawberry finished second after a late rally, with Ella It Is taking third. Regal Moment, who had to cover extra ground during the race, completed the first four.
For Brandy and Me, the Algoma Stakes represented a significant step forward from an eye-catching maiden victory. The manner in which she handled the rail, a large field and the pressure of a stakes contest will give her connections plenty of reason to look ahead with confidence.
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