It’s been a season of rhythm and resurgence for Bring Theband Home, and now, the electric sprinter is striking up another tune — this time at Woodbine. The speedster, who has dazzled American fans with back-to-back Saratoga triumphs, is ready to bring his form north in Saturday’s Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2T), a $250,000 five-furlong turf showdown.
For trainer Mark Casse, few things have been as satisfying this year as watching the Live Oak Plantation homebred finally mature into the horse they always believed he could be. “He’s been special so far this year,” said Casse, who currently leads the Woodbine trainer standings. “Hopefully, we can keep that going.”
From Saratoga Sparks to Woodbine’s Turf Stage
The son of Into Mischief out of Tizatude (by Street Cry) has been lighting up the boards since July, when he stopped the clock at a scorching :59.90 in the Harvey Pack Stakes, missing the world record by a mere tenth of a second. He followed up with a commanding wire-to-wire win in the Troy Stakes (G2T) in early August, solidifying his reputation as one of the fastest turf sprinters in North America.
Now, with Javier Castellano back in the irons, Bring Theband Home (6 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third from 13 starts; $506,764 in earnings) will attempt to extend his winning streak to three and perhaps set the stage for his biggest career goal yet — the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Del Mar on November 1.
“He’s fast — really fast,” said Casse. “Javier seems to get the best out of him. This has been our plan for a long time. When he ran that near-record race at Saratoga, it reminded us just how much talent he’s got.”
International Flavor in the Nearctic Stakes
The Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes field will feature seven high-caliber turf runners, including the intriguing Irish import The Strikin Viking (IRE), trained by Hamad Al-Jehani for Wathnan Racing. The 3-year-old gelding, bred by Tally-Ho Stud, arrives at Woodbine fresh off a victory in Germany’s Goldene Peitsche, the nation’s premier sprint event, where he earned the coveted gold-plated whip in front of 10,000 fans.
“He’s a very good horse,” said Al-Jehani. “We were impressed with his run in Germany. It gave us the confidence to try him here. I think the Woodbine turf will suit him well.”
Joining them are local contenders Light the Lamp, Western Whirl, and Its Time to Shine, alongside American raiders No Nay Hudson (IRE) and Nobals, adding depth and variety to this truly international sprint.
Field for the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes – Race 5
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Light the Lamp – Pietro Moran – Don MacRae
2 – Western Whirl – Fraser Aebly – Stuart Simon
3 – Its Time to Shine – Jose Campos – John Ross
4 – The Strikin Viking (IRE) – Faleh Nasser Bughenaim – Hamad Al-Jehani
5 – Bring Theband Home – Javier Castellano – Mark Casse
6 – No Nay Hudson (IRE) – Pablo Morales – Wesley Ward
7 – Nobals – Rafael Hernandez – Larry Rivelli
Stakes Saturday at Woodbine
The Nearctic Stakes is part of a thrilling Canadian International Day program that also features the Dance Smartly Stakes (G2T) and the Canadian International (G1T). A special Fall Turf Pick 3 bet will be offered across these three races with a $5 minimum and 15% takeout.
For Casse, the stakes are both professional and personal. He won this race once before — in 2017 with 40-1 longshot Field of Courage — and now hopes Bring Theband Home can provide another chapter of triumph at the Toronto oval.
“He’s matured beautifully,” Casse said. “This is the horse we knew he could become. Now it’s about keeping him happy, healthy, and ready for the big stage.”
Read this full feature and more global racing stories on RaceBuzz.
