Woolcotts hoping for Woodslane Pick 3 at Gulfstream
Wolfie’s Dynaghost, Sister Troienne look to continue win streaks
Nick Hahn
February 27, 2026
You’ll have to pardon Rene and Lauren Woolcott if their racing enthusiasm wanes by the late Saturday afternoon arrival of the Fountain of Youth Stakes.
Prior to the feature at Gulfstream, the owners of Woodslane Farm in The Plains, Virginia will vie for their own Woodslane-bred Pick 3. Woodslane bred and owns the morning line favorites in both the $175,000 Canadian Turf (Wolfie’s Dynaghost) and the $200,000 Herecomesthebride (Sister Troienne).
The two stakes sandwich an $84,000 maiden special weight in which Royal Crescent (9-2), a Quality Road colt they bred and then sold for $350,000 as a yearling, is a logical contender to break his maiden in his second career start.
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“As a breeder and a racer, the predominant word that comes to my mind is honor,” said Lauren Woolcott. “I mean, what a thrill, what an honor.”
For Wolfie’s Dynaghost, the even-money favorite, the Canadian Turf returns him to the venue of his track record performance in the Fort Lauderdale (G3), in which he zipped 1 1/8 miles in 1:43.42, just over two months ago. It’s a time that may be a North American – indeed, even a world – record.
The Canadian Turf is also an opportunity to win his fourth straight, all while not being headed.
The ongoing streak began at Colonial Downs while the now eight-year-old was being trained by Jonathan Thomas in the $100,000 Bert Allen Handicap. It has helped push his career bankroll to more than $1.3 million.
“He had a great win for Jonathan at Colonial,” explained Lauren. “It was a bit of an easier race, and he dominated and then Jonathan was moving to California. We had to switch trainers, and we went happily with Brian Lynch. I just think Wolfie’s loves that barn and everything about it. He went on to win the River City at Churchill and then did an unbelievably beautiful run in the Fort Lauderdale to break a North American track record at the distance.”
Woolcott credits a 14-month layoff provided by Thomas and a recent procedure to remove a cyst as keys to his recent success.
“Here we are facing a race we didn’t necessarily aim for,” added Woolcott. “He’s just ready for it. He’s acting like the same horse he was before.”
Woodslane’s Sister Troienne seeks her sixth straight win in the sixth race, the grassy, one-mile Herecomesthebride. While she has won three stakes to date, this Grade 3 event would be her first in graded company. Mario Gutierrez returns to the mount, the only jockey aboard in her racing career. She also likes to find the lead early.
“Certainly, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was hoping there wasn’t a tail in their face,” joked Woolcott. “These are tough fields, so if both of them come home winners, it’ll be absolutely thrilling.”
Between the two stake favorites, Royal Crescent makes his second career start in the maiden bridge race going a mile on the dirt for owners Mulberry Racing.
“We’re so hopeful for the buyers that he’ll perform as well for them as these other two have been performing for us,” she said. “We’ll certainly be there watching him.”
Woodslane Farm first caught widespread attention as the breeders of 2014 Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist. Their incremental climb wasn’t without patience.
“I’m going to give credit to my husband Rene,” acknowledged Woolcott. “He’s very disciplined, and he insisted that we build our broodmare band from within and keep the number of broodmares select in quantity and quality.”
One early acquisition made an immediate impact in Woodslane’s success.
“How lucky were we to have landed the bid to buy Dynaire as a yearling?” she asked.
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Not the praise one might expect from an unraced $360,000 purchase of a filly out of the 2009 September Keeneland Sale. What she didn’t provide the Woolcotts on the racetrack, though, Dynaire has given in spades in the breeding shed.
Lauren Woolcott ticked off the list.
“She’s the dam of [Grade 1 winner] Sadler’s Joy, the dam of Wolfie’s Dynaghost. The dam of Dyna Passer, who is the dam of Sister Troienne. She’s just a dream. So going forward we are growing from within. We now have Dyna Passer producing unbelievably beautiful horses. Sister Troienne has a full sister, Ultraviolet, and she’s gorgeous. Dyna Passer foaled a filly by Oscar Performance just a few days ago.”
Location, location, location is a factor in the success of many businesses, and the Woolcotts sense it may be one helping the Woodslane horses.
“Maybe it’s the Woodslane turf,” observed Lauren. “We’ve got a guy who runs our barn, Raymond Figgins. We lovingly and jokingly say he’s half-horse. He lives them, breathes them. Raymond says, ‘It’s the ground that they grow up on.’”
Making that turf more attractive: the Virginia industry incentive program that since 2017 makes raising horses in Virginia a very attractive proposition, indeed.
“It’s because of the wonderful Virginia-bred and certified program that the [Virginia Thoroughbred Association] and [Virginia Equine Alliance] have put into place,” said Lauren Woolcott. “Now we have all these people who take youngsters in order to get them Virginia-bred or Virginia-certified, and maybe a lot more horses are going to now show proof that that Virginia turf is very beneficial.”
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