Cass holding strong hand with pair in Woodbine allowance
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Mark Casse looks locked and loaded in Thursday’s Woodbine feature with Bessie Abott and Shotgun Wedding, who could vie for favoritism in the seven-furlong conditioned allowance/optional claimer for fillies and mares.
Bessie Abott started twice early in the summer here on the inner turf, finishing a belated third off a seven-month layoff in the Grade 3 Royal North behind stablemate Shifty. Runner-up Fantastical subsequently won the Grade 3 Trillium before checking in second in the Grade 3 Ontario Matron.
Bessie Abbott has been idle since ending up fourth in the Grade 2 Nassau going a mile July 19. The Irish-bred 4-year-old has a history of acquitting herself well when fresh and will be ridden again by the hot Fraser Aebly, who won three times on last Saturday’s Canadian International card.
Shotgun Wedding was a model of consistency in allowance company before taking the 1 1/16-mile Ontario Damsel Stakes on the Tapeta last October. After finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Bessarabian in November, she was sold to a partnership that included Gary Barber and was moved to trainer Mark Casse.
Following a winter layoff, Shotgun Wedding ran fifth in an allowance sprint on the dirt at Keeneland April 22. Five weeks later, she rallied for third behind the favored Ozara and Long Ago in the Miss Liberty Stakes going long on the turf at Monmouth, one of the better performances of her career.
When returning from a break Aug. 13 at Saratoga, Shotgun Wedding came three wide from fourth to end up third in a conditioned allowance/optional claimer. In another one-mile conditioned allowance/optional claimer on turf most recently, she checked in sixth over the undulating course at Kentucky Downs. Sahin Civaci will ride her on Thursday.
During the past five years, Casse won at a solid 26 percent clip when going turf to synthetic in seven-furlong sprints, with a return on investment of $2.30.
Completing the third race field are Purr Factor, Scat Girl, and Home for a Rest.
A need-the lead type, Purr Factor got her trip last time out when she opened up a substantial lead on the backstretch and then coasted home on top in a first-level allowance on the inner turf. She wired $25,000 claimers in a six-furlong Tapeta sprint June 20 under regular rider Skye Chernetz, who will get a leg up from trainer Devon Gittens.
Scat Girl has competed strictly in stakes since late June. She set a fast pace before fading to fifth most recently in the about nine-furlong Belfountain Stakes for older Ontario-breds on the main turf. Trainer Mike DePaulo has decent stats pertaining to this situation and has given to the call to Rico Walcott.
The Robert Tiller-trained Home for a Rest ran the race of her life two back when a closing second in the six-furlong Ballade Stakes for Ontario-sired females. Throw out her last dull performance in a five-furlong inner turf stakes.
Post for the seven-race card is 3:15 p.m.
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