Leading Woodbine trainer Mark Casse carries a solid hand in the $150,000 Ontario Colleen Stakes (Can-IIIT) with three entrants for owner John C. Oxley in the one-mile turf event for 3-year-old fillies Aug. 25.
The trio, all daughters of Sky Mesa running uncoupled in the Ontario Colleen, are Sky Dreamer, Spirited Miss, and Sky High Lady. Casse, with 53 winners at Woodbine through Aug. 21, leads his nearest competitor by 19 in the trainer standings.
Spirited Miss is the only prior stakes winner of the Casse entrants, having won the Duchess Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths July 28. Out of the Horse Chestnut mare Little Hussy, the stalker Spirited Miss won a first-level allowance race prior to that. Both of the victories came on Polytrack.
The bay filly broke her maiden at first asking on the Woodbine turf one year ago and followed that effort with a fourth-place effort in the Natalma Stakes (Can-IIIT), also on turf. Patrick Husbands, who has been aboard for all three of Spirited Miss' prior victories, is named to ride once again.
Sky Dreamer comes off a runner-up finish in the Arlington Park Oaks (gr. III) on Polytrack July 21, losing by a half-length. She was a 5 3/4-length allowance winner on the Woodbine main track three weeks earlier. Sky Dreamer also graduated at first asking on the Woodbine grass a little more than a year ago.
The bay filly finished with a good closing effort to be third in a dead-heat in Alywow Stakes on the lawn June 3 at 6 1/2 furlongs, beaten by just a neck. Jermaine Bridgmohan is back aboard.
Last of the Oxley/Casse entrants is Sky High Lady, seeking her first win on turf in her fourth try. Sky High ran sixth in the Duchess. Husbands is also listed as the rider on Sky High Lady, an easy allowance winner on Polytrack in June.
Amerman Racing's Blue Heart won the Bison City Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Tiara series for 3-year-old Canadian-sired fillies, before finishing sixth in the Wonder Where Stakes on turf July 29. The Ontario-bred Exchange Rate filly was second in the Alywow for trainer Brian Lynch.
Also certain to attract attention is Colonial Flag, from the Michael Matz barn for owners Skara Glen Stable, W.S. Farish, and ENL Stables. The daughter of Pleasant Tap was a disappointing eighth last time in the American Oaks (gr. IT) July 14 at Betfair Hollywood Park, fading after pressing the pace while a bit wide coming into the stretch. A month prior to that, Colonial Flag was a strong second to Centre Court in the Regret Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the Churchill Downs turf.
Raroma Stable's Runfor Ro, a daughter of Afleet Alex , comes off a 4 1/4-length score in a one-mile turf allowance at Woodbine July 20 for trainer Greg de Gannes.
$150,000 Ontario Colleen Stakes (Can-IIIT, Race 8, 4:47 p.m.), 3YO Fillies, 1 Mile (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Poetic Kid (KY), E Wilson, 114, K Attard
2. Blue Heart (ON), A O Solis, 120, B A Lynch
3. Solid Appeal (KY), J M Campbell, 123, R Baker
4. Runfor Ro (KY), L Contreras, 114, G de Gannes
5. Sky Dreamer (KY), J V Bridgmohan, 123, M E Casse
6. Colonial Flag (KY), J Rocco Jr., 114, M R Matz
7. Spirited Miss (KY), P Husbands, 123, M E Casse
8. Actionontwo (AR), J Stein, 123, M J Doyle
9. Sky High Lady (KY), P Husbands, 123, M E Casse
10. Evil Kitten (ON), E R Da Silva, 114, N Gonzalez
11. Pulpation (KY), S R Bahen, 114, M Keogh
12. English Sunrise (KY), E Ramsammy, 114, A Desruisseaux