Say the Word

Say the Word, a More Than Ready gelding, earned his first stakes win in his 25^th start and at the highest level, tallying a one-length victory in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes Presented by Pattison at Woodbine on Oct. 18, 2020.

He began his racing career in fall 2017 under Graham Motion’s care and finished second in the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the Breeders’ Stakes, in August 2018. He also finished third in a Grade 3 stakes in 2019 but by that fall was in trainer Gail Cox’s barn and was in poor form.

Say the Word was unplaced in his first three starts in 2020, but won an allowance optional claiming race at Saratoga during the summer at big odds and then ran a good third in the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes at Woodbine prior to his breakthrough in the Northern Dancer.

Say the Word finished second in his first start of 2021, the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Mar. 20. He won the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland on Apr. 17, covering the 1 1/2-mile distance in 2:28.26.

A Sam-Son Farm homebred, Say the Word is out of the unraced Giant’s Causeway mare Danceforthecause. He is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Rideforthecause and from the elite Sam-Son bloodline that includes champions Dancethruthedawn and Dance Smartly and elite sire Smart Strike.