Carson's Legacy looking quickest

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - There was a buzz around Woodbine last Saturday after Steve Asmussen won with his first starter of the meeting. The feeling was that Asmussen, North America's leading trainer, was poised take Woodbine by storm, but he went winless with four starters on Sunday.

The mini-drought shouldn't last, however, since Asmussen has many live runners here this weekend, most notably Carson's Legacy, who will be the prohibitive favorite in Sunday's $150,000 Woodstock Stakes.

Carson's Legacy graduated second time out last summer at Calder, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 88. He was awarded a huge Beyer Figure of 96 for taking the 5 1/2-furlong Birdonthewire Stakes Oct. 13, after which he was sold to Padua Stables and turned over to Asmussen.

Carson's Legacy started twice at Oaklawn during the winter, receiving a 91 Beyer on both occasions. He came from midpack to capture the 5 1/2-furlong Dixieland Stakes in January, and was a stalking second in the six-furlong Mountain Valley Stakes in February.

Assistant trainer Steve Flint described Carson's Legacy as the consummate pro who possesses the build of a sprinter.

"He's a very compact, strong horse," said Flint. "He's like a sports car. He's very efficient. He has no wasted motion. He's very professional."

Flint is optimistic that Carson's Legacy will handle Polytrack, on which he has been working at Keeneland.

"He's taken to this track well," said Flint. "Obviously, he did well [at Keeneland], or Steve wouldn't have sent him here. He should be able to handle it, but nobody knows until the gates open. Pyro trained great over it, but you don't know until they run."

Asmussen also entered a minor stakes winner, Deputy Dance, who finished third in a $62,500 claimer here last Sunday.

The six-furlong race for 3-year-olds has also lured Ciano Knights, who outran Deputy Dance for second last Sunday. Matt's Broken Vow, who ran second in an allowance on opening day, Rumbling Cloud and Senor complete the field.

* Alezzandro, Canada's reigning champion 3-year-old, will make his 2008 debut in Saturday's eighth race, a second-level optional claimer. Alezzandro, the runner-up in last year's Queen's Plate, won the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie.

* The opener on the 10-race card, a two-furlong maiden special, is the first 2-year-old dash of the meeting. It attracted 16 entries, all first-time starters, but only 10 made it into the body of the race.