Woodbine Trainer Dale Desruisseaux Targets First U.S. Stakes Win

Woodbine-based trainer Dale Desruisseaux will attempt to secure his first stateside stakes victory Saturday at Belmont Park.

He sends out Highwaytothemoon in the $175,000 Carle Place, a six-furlong inner turf sprint for 3-year-olds.

The race is part of a 10-race card that also includes the Grade 2 $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes and the Listed $200,000 Dwyer Stakes.

First post is 11:40 a.m. ET.

Desruisseaux, who plans to maintain a significant string of horses in New York this winter, has never won a stakes race in the United States.

Highwaytothemoon is owned by Domenic Dilalla.

The 3-year-old gelding is by Ransom the Moon.

He has outperformed expectations throughout 2026.

Desruisseaux originally believed the horse was strictly a one-turn sprinter.

"We didn't even have him eligible for the Triple Crown up here over the winter because I always thought he was a one-turn horse, but he took us on a ride," Desruisseaux said.

Highwaytothemoon began his season in April at Woodbine.

He won a 5 1/2-furlong race on Tapeta against older horses, scoring by a neck.

That set off a campaign that pushed the colt into longer distances than his trainer ever planned.

In May, Highwaytothemoon ran second in the King Corrie at seven furlongs.

He came back in June to win the Queenston, also at seven furlongs, against fellow Canadian-breds.

Then Desruisseaux decided to try something bolder.

He stretched Highwaytothemoon out to nine furlongs for the Plate Trial in July.

The horse won again, stalking the pace and drawing off against Canadian-bred company.

That victory earned him a start in the King's Plate, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, in August.

The race was run at 10 furlongs on Woodbine's Tapeta.

Highwaytothemoon finished a troubled ninth.

"He had a rough trip in the Plate," Desruisseaux said.

"Turning for home, he got bounced around, and my jock said it took the air out of him. It didn't give us a true feeling on the race, and that's why we decided to go onto the next one."

Desruisseaux gave the colt one more try at a classic distance.

He entered Highwaytothemoon in the Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, run at 1 3/16 miles on dirt at Fort Erie.

The horse finished seventh and never threatened.

"I think he was that typical stereotype of a horse that you can get them to go long once," Desruisseaux said.

"He showed us in the second leg that he didn't want to go that far."

Highwaytothemoon turned back sharply in distance for his next start.

On October 10 at Woodbine, he ran in the Sophomore Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta.

Ridden by Jose Campos, the gelding saved ground from the inside post and sat last in a field of five.

My Covenant led through a half-mile in 45.97 seconds.

At the stretch call, My Covenant held a two-length advantage.

Highwaytothemoon cut the corner and rallied, but could not catch the leader.

He finished second, beaten one length, in a final time of 1:16.03.

My Covenant earned his third straight victory that day.

"He was a little further back than I would have liked to see him last time," Desruisseaux said.

Now the horse returns to sprinting on turf.

The Carle Place is run at six furlongs over Belmont Park's inner turf course.

It is restricted to 3-year-olds.

The purse is $175,000.

Highwaytothemoon has never raced on turf in his career.

He has run exclusively on Tapeta and dirt.

Desruisseaux believes the cutback in distance will suit his horse.

The trainer has a full string ready to ship into New York for the winter meet.

A win Saturday would mark his first U.S. stakes score and validate his decision to bring horses south.

The race is scheduled as Race 7 on the card.

Post time is approximately 2:43 p.m. ET.

The Carle Place field also includes stakes winners from other circuits.

Desruisseaux will be looking for his colt to sit closer to the pace than he did in the Sophomore.

Jose Campos has the mount again.

Highwaytothemoon carries the colors of owner Domenic Dilalla.

The gelding has three wins from seven starts this year.

He has earned $197,400 in 2026.

A top-three finish in the Carle Place would push his earnings past $200,000.

Saturday's card also features the Grade 2 Mother Goose Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old fillies.

Bodacious Bay, winner of the Grade 1 Cotillion, is the likely favorite in that race.

The Listed Dwyer Stakes at one mile for 3-year-olds features undefeated champion Ted Noffey returning from a one-year layoff.