Jun 13, 2026 – Mighty Tanner gave Canuck Racing Club yet another winner at Woodbine on June 13th, taking Race 4, a six-and-a-half furlong maiden optional claiming race on the all-weather track, with a determined late rally under Rafael Hernandez.
Trained by Kevin Attard, the bay filly by Mo Town out of Turkmenistan was named after Elaine “Mighty Mouse” Tanner, a Canadian Olympic swimming legend, three-time Olympic medallist and former world record holder in five events. Tanner earned the distinction of being Canada’s best athlete in 1966.
Mighty Tanner came into the race as the clear favourite and was sent off at 0.30-1. But the victory required more than simply living up to market expectations.
Breaking from post 2, Mighty Tanner came away sharply and secured a forward inside position while Party Hotline took up the running. Hernandez kept Mighty Tanner close through fractions of 23.01 and 46.24, saving ground while waiting for the right moment to ask her for more.
That opening did not come immediately. Around the turn and into the stretch, Mighty Tanner was trapped behind the lead group as Lemon Sweets advanced and Beau Pink moved into contention outside. Hernandez remained patient, shifted out late, and finally found daylight near the sixteenth pole.
“I thought she was blocked and stuck,” exclaimed Rob van Blokland, one of the club’s managing partners. “Fortunately, she made a hole and just bulldozed her way through.” Once clear, Mighty Tanner accelerated strongly. She surged past the leaders in the final yards and drew off to win by 1.25 lengths in a final time of 1:18.84.
The effort was notable for both the trip and the response. Rather than benefiting from a clean, uninterrupted run, Mighty Tanner had to wait, adapt, and finish with authority once Hernandez created the late path.
Not a favourite’s easy trip or a soft win dressed up by circumstance, the story of this maiden win was a filly finding herself in a hard-fought, well-earned, and thrilling victory.