Casse filly bred to like the grass

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Friday's Woodbine headliner, a one-mile first-level allowance for fillies and mares, is wide open. Handicappers should use as many horses as possible in horizontal wagers, including Exclusive Love, who is trying the turf for the first time.

Exclusive Love, a 3-year-old trained by Mark Casse, romped second time out in a tough maiden special Nov. 29. She ran fifth following a winter layoff, and is coming off a second as the favorite in an allowance route that was taken off the grass.

Exclusive Love is by the good turf sire Bernstein. Her dam placed in Group 2 company in England, and both of her dam's turf starters were victorious on grass.

Jenny's So Great is another 3-year-old who is experimenting on the grass, and her sire, Greatness, has produced more than his fair share of turf winners. She placed in several stakes in 2009, but has been a disappointment this year.

The French import Malavita is making her first start for trainer Steve Asmussen, who is 2 for 9 with foreign shippers adding Lasix during the last five years. Her worst performance came over soft going, and the ground should be firm side if this race remains on the grass.

First Grade has started twice in allowance company this year, finishing third at Gulfstream and eighth in a key contest May 16 at Belmont. A daughter of Smart Strike, she has worked three times on the Polytrack since shipping to trainer Bill Mott's Woodbine barn.

Roger Attfield, one of Woodbine's leading turf trainers, entered Court Gown and Alabama Grace, who will run as separate betting interests.

Court Gown performed well last summer in England, but her first two tries on this side of the pond at Keeneland were disappointing. She rallied for third here most recently in a seven-furlong allowance, and a mile around one turn should be within range.

Alabama Grace broke slowly before racing wide over an inside-biased Polytrack when fourth in a June 9 allowance. She graduated on the Tampa turf in March.