Fraser Aebly guided Warming to a decisive Warming Dance Smartly win at Woodbine on Saturday, October 3, as the four-year-old mare captured the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes with a strong late finish. The $200,000 contest attracted seven fillies and mares aged three and upward and was contested over one and one-sixteenth miles on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, which was rated Good.
Proctor Street and Eponine, who had finished first and second in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at Woodbine on August 15, moved forward in the early stages and established themselves at the head of affairs. Proctor Street, ridden by Pietro Moran, led Eponine by a length after the opening quarter-mile was covered in 25.05 seconds.
Power of Destiny, Ozara, Warming, Elysian Field and Pin Up Betty followed the leading pair as the field settled into position.
Proctor Street maintained her advantage through the half-mile in 50.31 seconds and continued to dictate the race into the final turn. The six-furlong split was recorded in 1:14.21, with the field beginning to close the gap approaching the straight.
Warming had travelled comfortably in fifth for Aebly after enjoying a ground-saving trip. The Graham Motion-trained mare had arrived at Woodbine following a last-to-first victory in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Del Mar on August 8.
As the field approached the quarter pole, Aebly gradually angled Warming away from the inside rail. The pair found a passage in the four path, and Warming responded immediately when asked for her effort.
The daughter of Global Campaign produced a sharp turn of foot and swept past Proctor Street in the closing stages. She established a clear advantage and crossed the finish line one and three-quarter lengths ahead of Power of Destiny.
Power of Destiny produced a late run along the rail to secure second, while Proctor Street held third after setting the pace for much of the contest. Elysian Field completed the first four.
The mile was reached in 1:37.46, while the final time was 1:43.78.
The victory marked Warming’s second consecutive Grade 2 success after her Yellow Ribbon Stakes triumph at Del Mar. She had also captured the Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes at Laurel Park two starts before that victory, giving her an impressive sequence of graded-race performances during her four-year-old campaign.
The Warming Dance Smartly win also extended her record at eight and a half furlongs on turf to four victories from four starts. Her Woodbine appearance marked her sixth different racetrack of 2026, further highlighting the mare’s ability to maintain her form while travelling between venues.
Aebly, who partnered Warming for the first time, said the mare had travelled comfortably through the early stages before finding the necessary opening in the straight. Her acceleration proved decisive once she was given room to produce her finishing effort.
Ian Wilson, assistant trainer to Graham Motion, also praised the mare’s ability to adapt to another new venue. Warming had travelled extensively during the season and continued to produce strong performances across different racetracks.
Bred in Kentucky by M. Auerbach, LLC, Warming was owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. She was by Global Campaign out of Haute Style, by Unusual Heat.
The Dance Smartly Stakes success improved Warming’s career record to six wins, one second and three thirds from 14 starts. The victory also earned her an automatic entry into the 2027 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes, scheduled for January at Gulfstream Park.
With Aebly producing a well-timed ride, Warming finished strongly to add another Grade 2 victory to her record and continued a productive four-year-old campaign with another accomplished performance on turf.
The Warming Dance Smartly win at Woodbine gave the Graham Motion-trained mare a second consecutive Grade 2 victory after a powerful late finish under Fraser Aebly.
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