Casse has big shot at sweep of Ontario Matron, Colin
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Leading trainer Mark Casse could have a lucrative day at Woodbine on Saturday, when he runs Northern Passion and Spring in the Air in the $150,000 Ontario Matron Stakes and Conquest Tsunami in the $125,000 Colin Stakes.
Northern Passion and Spring in the Air, who are not coupled, will be among the favorites in the 1 1/16-mile Matron.
The late-running Northern Passion is exiting a sharp score over seven furlongs in the slow-paced Sweet Briar Too Stakes, for which Casse said he gave no pre-race instructions to jockey Patrick Husbands.
“He did that on his own,” Casse said. “He got her running early, and it worked out well.”
Spring in the Air, Canada’s champion 2-year-old filly in 2012, has run three solid races this year since returning from a long layoff, all in sprint stakes. After closing for second in the Grade 3 Whimsical, she took the Grade 3 Hendrie and then checked in fourth after a wide trip in the restricted Zadracarta on turf.
“This is probably her best distance,” Casse said. “I think she’ll be good.”
The Grade 3 Ontario Matron drew seven others, including supplements Toasting and I’m a Kittyhawk.
Ontario Matron – Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Northern Passion (Last 3 Beyers: 80-82-83)
◗ She has never won going 1 1/16 miles, but she did finish a lapped-on second in the nine-furlong Woodbine Oaks. Some speed to chase would bolster her chances.
◗ Casse won last year’s Ontario Matron with Sisterly Love, who went on to be voted Canadian champion older female for 2013.
Spring in the Air (Last 3 Beyers: 86-75-78)
◗ The highlight of her career was a victory in the Grade 1 Alcibiades traveling 1 1/16 miles on Keeneland’s Polytrack in 2012.
◗ Formulator fact: Casse has a 16 percent strike rate with turf/synthetic runners going from a sprint to a route over the past five years ($0.87 return on investment).
La Tia (Last 3 Beyers: 77-94-90)
◗ The speed of the party comes in from Chicago. She captured the 2012 La Lorgnette Stakes here after ducking in and hitting the rail in the stretch.
My Option (Last 3 Beyers: 99-70-80)
◗ Another sharp shipper from the Windy City. Arlington-based runners have excelled here this year, and this horse earned a 99 Beyer for airing in the Grade 3 Chicago Handicap last out over seven furlongs. Going 1 1/16 miles is right up her alley.
Royal Fury (Last 3 Beyers: 87-87-87)
◗ A premature, wide move on the far turn might have cost her the victory in the June 14 Trillium Stakes. She has never been better than she has been this year.
Colin Stakes – Race 6
Conquest Tsunami will be a skimpy price in this six-furlong dash for 2-year-olds. He won both of his outings on the front end by a combined 14 lengths, including the five-furlong Victoria Stakes.
Casse said Conquest Tsunami has the potential to be one of the better 2-year-olds he has ever trained. “You don’t like to get too excited, and you’d like to see them go a little farther and run a few more times, but from Day 1, he’s been superior,” Casse said. “It will be interesting to see what happens. It looks like he has another gear. Hopefully, he won’t need to use it for a while, and when he does use it, hopefully, there is one.”
Casse said he entered second-time starter Conquest Boogaloo as a backup.
“He ran poorly in his first start, but he’s a pretty talented horse,” Casse said.
Conquest Boogaloo was supplemented along with Calgacus and Rouge Et Blanc. Two others were entered.
KEY CONTENDER
Conquest Tsunami (Beyer: 80)
◗ Casse contemplated sending him to Del Mar, but the Ontario-bred is eligible for a host of restricted stakes here and is already proven in open company.
“He’s trained well into it,” Casse said. “He’s had some nice works, but we haven’t been overly hard on him training up to the race.”