Bosskiri class of Lady Angela field

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The undefeated Bosskiri will be a short price Saturday at Woodbine in the $125,000 Lady Angela Stakes, and justifiably so.

Bosskiri was widely considered the best 2-year-old filly in Canada last year. She crushed Ontario-sired maiden special weight foes when she made her debut in July and subsequently won the Nandi Stakes in a romp, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 85. Her juvenile campaign was cut short by a minor injury, which left her one race shy of Sovereign Award eligibility.

Bosskiri spent the winter at a Florida farm, before shipping back here to trainer Reade Baker's barn. In her only start of the meeting, against older allowance opposition on May 8, she prevailed by nearly three lengths after setting a pressured pace on a speed-favoring track.

Baker said he was thrilled with Bosskiri's comeback effort, for which she received an 80 Beyer.

"What you saw was what you got," Baker said. "She had just three works going into it. She went three-eighths, a half-mile, five-eighths, and then we ran her. I really wanted to get a race into her before the Lady Angela, and that was a great opportunity. I was hoping that I wasn't making an error, and I guess I didn't."

After the Lady Angela, Baker said, Bosskiri might bypass the June 12 Labatt Woodbine Oaks in favor of the second leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, the July 4 Labatt Bison City Stakes at Fort Erie. Baker already has two serious Oaks contenders, Gold Strike and River Nore.

Baby Lou, also unbeaten, is the probable second choice in the seven-furlong Lady Angela, for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies.

Baby Lou turned heads in her debut, a restricted five-furlong maiden special on opening day. She broke very awkwardly from the outside post in the 12-horse field and then found herself near the outside fence. She closed four wide to win going away. Trainer Mike Mareina said he was impressed with the way Baby Lou rallied to win her first start, especially after spotting her rivals such a big lead.

Baby Lou followed that race with a front-running allowance score over next out winner Bold Little Lass in a six-furlong dash on May 13.

Completing the field are Simply Lovely, Wewakiwoowho, and Whiskey and Low.

Simply Lovely, last year's champion 2-year-old filly, was a disappointment in her two outings this year, the Star Shoot and Fury Stakes.