With a Whopping $399,650 in Career Earnings, 3-Year-Old Gelding Teams Up With Renowned Equestrian Ahead of Major Event

The 2023 Saratoga Summer Meets Stakes released its complete schedule. The events that began on July 13th, and will now be continuing till 4th September. On 5th August, the Grade 1 test for a $500,000.00 purse in 7 furlongs is scheduled. Every professional equestrian is training their horse for greater results in this international competition. Along with other champion horses, the undefeated three-year-old filly, Maple Leaf Mel has also participated in the G1 Test race.

For Maple’s training, her trainer Melanie Giddings and her owner Bill Parcells created the sweetest bond. Parcells wants Giddings to follow up the strict training without getting distracted by anything. Maple is about to have her toughest challenge in the G1 and Parcells knows that the bond between Giddings and Maple that can lead to the greatest victory.

Giddings’s guidance to Maple Leaf Mel

Melanie Giddings used to work for Hall of Fame trainers where she was the assistant to Eaglehart. Then, Englehart suggested she pick up Parcell’s filly at a 2-year-old training sale in Fasig-Tipton Midlantntic, which led her to Maple. Later, the horse officially moved into her care and won Miss Preakness Stakes in May. On June 21, the filly won Presque Isle Downs to which Giddings expressed her thoughts and said, “She just can’t get enough. After she runs, she’s just full of herself. I guess she’s proud of herself. I don’t think we give horses enough credit for knowing whether they win or don’t win.”

According to Blood Horse, Maple Mel Leaf, a New York-based filly is a 4-time stake winner who will be competing in the Saratoga Race Course for her Grade 1 test. Maple also won the Seeking The Ante Stakes in 2022 and among her 5 great wins, Giddie has guided her in some of her well-known victories.

Giddings and Parcell making it all for Maple’s equestrian race

The owner of Maple Leaf Mel, Bill Parcell has never won a Grade 1 but he has campaigned for numerous stakes winners. He has established himself in horse ownership and found a passion in Giddings for training and caring for horses. He noticed her when she was under Eaglehart’s wing and he wanted to boost her zeal. Hence, she officially moved in with Maple Leaf Mel for her training. 

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Giddings was once diagnosed with ovary and uterus cancer, and had to go through multiple chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery for treatment. After recovering from this prolonged disease, she started training horses. Giddings stated her feeling for her horses by saying, “When I worked for other people, I always gave 110% and treated the horses like they were mine.” The trainer is close to each of her horses and trains them like they are her own. 

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