Casse has top choices in Shady Well Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse entered Winterberry, Patriotic War, War Signal, and Princess of Storm in Saturday’s Shady Well Stakes at Woodbine, but all four may not run in the six-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired and Ontario-bred 2-year-old fillies.

Winterberry should be favored over Patriotic War in the $150,000 event. She was scratched several times before finally debuting Aug. 24, when she went romped in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special while beating future stakes winner Foxtastic. After a fading sixth in the Grade 1 Summer against males on turf, she won the seven-furlong Glorious Song Stakes with an 82 Beyer Speed Figure on Oct. 13.

“She’s fast and talented,” Casse said. “Her last race was good. She has her quirks. It’s all about getting her over there and getting her to the gate under control.”

Patrick Husbands was aboard for Winterberry’s first two starts and has the mount Saturday.

Patriotic War led throughout her Nov. 2 opener in a six-furlong maiden special, scoring by three lengths with a 77 Beyer.

“She’s a filly we liked early on and she had some minor issues,” Casse recalled. “I think she’ll improve from” her debut.

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Patriotic War and War Signal are from the first crop of War of Will, who won the Preakness for their owner, Gary Barber. Ryan Munger was named on both.

War Signal has been idle since a fourth-place finish on debut in a May 12 maiden special.

“She’s another one who we were very high on early on,” Casse recalled. “She had some minor setbacks. I put her in when the maiden race didn’t go. Most of the [War of Wills] want more ground.”

Princess of Storm graduated second time out in a seven-furlong maiden special on the grass Sept. 7, after which she finished ninth when getting away slowly in the restricted Cup and Saucer Stakes. She’s nominated to next Saturday’s $250,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes going 1 1/16 miles for Canadian-bred fillies.

“I’m probably going to end up running her in the Princess Elizabeth,” Casse said.

Five others were entered – Periwinkle, Pop Idol, Nata Trouble, Miss Pierre, and Dancetotherhythm.

Periwinkle rallied for third in the restricted Muskoka Stakes in August and graduated two races later in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special Oct. 19, earning a 70 Beyer for the five-length score.

Pop Idol is making her first start for trainer Katerina Vassilieva. Based at Saratoga over the summer with trainer and co-owner George Weaver, she won her maiden and an allowance here on the Tapeta, both under leading rider Sahin Civaci, who has the call.

Nata Trouble is exiting a distant third in the Glorious Song in her first outing since graduating in a maiden special auction sprint Sept. 28.

Miss Pierre rallied outside from eighth to beat Ontario-sired and $40,000 maidens at first asking Nov. 2 for trainer Ted Holder.

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