The E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) has been an elite international contest through the years, with horses having British, Irish, French, American, and Canadian running lines among those scoring in the 1 1/4-mile turf contest at Woodbine.
This year's field again maintains its international flair, led by leading American She Feels Pretty, a four-time grade 1 stakes winner for Lale Stables; Godolphin's Diamond Rain, and up-and-comer in Britain with two stakes victories in as many starts this year; and WinStar Farm's Caitlinhergrtness, who became the 39th female winner of the King's Plate at Woodbine before a third-place finish behind She Feels Pretty in the Queen Elizaneth II Challenge Cup (G1T) at Keeneland in the fall.
Now Caitlinhergrtness will attempt to pull off the not-yet-accomplished feat of taking the CA$750,000 E.P. Taylor as an encore to the King's Plate, which is also over that classic distance, though on Tapeta. Few have attempted this double, either in the same year or in follow-up seasons, with the most recent being 2022 Plate winner Moira—who ran eighth when demoted from second for interference in the 2022 E. P. Taylor. She later ran third and second in the grass race in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
The E.P. Taylor—moved from September to Aug.16 this year to fall on King's Plate Day due to upcoming renovations to Woodbine's famed outer turf course—which also is named after E. P. Taylor. This year, Saturday's race is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, providing its winner with automatic paid entry into the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) at Del Mar.
She Feels Pretty, arguably the top female grass horse in North America, is the likely favorite. Her head defeat in her most recent race when second to Excellent Truth in the July 12 Diana Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course was her first losing start since October of last year. Prior to the Diana, she had reeled off four in a row, including the American Oaks (G1T) late last year at the E. P. Taylor distance.
The Cherie DeVaux trainee is also proven over Woodbine's outer E. P. Taylor turf course, having romped in the Natalma Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine two years ago during her juvenile campaign. John Velazquez rides the daughter of Karakontie for the 11th consecutive time.
Like Moira, Kevin Attard trains Caitlinhergrtness. The 4-year-old daughter of Omaha Beach is 1-1-0 in three starts this year, winning the May 31 Belle Mahone Stakes (G3) on Tapeta in her first race of 2025 and finishing second in her latest, also on synthetic in the July 26 Trillium Stakes (G3). Between those races, she was eighth in the June 28 Nassau Stakes (G2T) over a "good" E. P. Taylor turf course.
Her better grass races in two other appearances have come on firm ground. Besides her third in the QEII Stakes last fall, she won an allowance optional claiming race on firm turf in an allowance optional claimer in July 2024.
Attard is a two-time E. P. Taylor winner, having scored with Moira's stablemate Full Count Felicia in 2024 and earlier with Starship Jubilee in 2019.
The Charlie Appleby-trained Diamond Rain has notched two of her four wins at 1 1/4 miles, including most recently in the Hopping Stakes (G3) on synthetic in England.
Appleby is fresh off grade 1 success in America, having run 1-3 with his starters El Cordobes and Nations Pride in last week's Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga.
Woodbine, Saturday, August 16, 2025, Race 7Entries: E. P. Taylor S. (G1T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Venencia (FR) Rafael Manuel Hernandez 125 Michael J. Doyle 12/1 2 2Literate (KY) Sahin Civaci 125 Martin Drexler 20/1 3 3Diamond Rain (GB) William Buick 125 Charles Appleby 6/1 4 4She Feels Pretty (KY) John R. Velazquez 125 Cherie DeVaux 3/5 5 5Caitlinhergrtness (ON) Flavien Prat 125 Kevin Attard 8/1 6 6Hurricane Clair (ON) Sahin Civaci 125 Martin Drexler 20/1 7 7Ready for Shirl (KY) Javier Castellano 125 Roger L. Attfield 7/2
