Casse has two Lassie fillies

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Mark Casse will take two shots at the $150,000 Ontario Lassie Stakes when he runs Six Pack Sammy and Tip Toe Annie in the Wednesday night Woodbine feature.

The 1 1/16-mile event for Ontario-bred 2-year-old fillies was scheduled for Sunday, but the card was canceled because of inclement weather.

Six Pack Sammy rallied very wide for second making her first start in the Sept. 3 Muskoka Stakes. She subsequently graduated at a mile and 70 yards, with a Beyer Speed Figure of 85.

Most recently in the Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill, Six Pack Sammy was in tight while racing along the rail in the stretch, and wound up fourth behind the undefeated Pure Clan.

"It looked like she was going to win," said Casse. "She was down inside, and maybe got a little intimidated, and flattened out a little late. The filly who won the race came back to win the Golden Rod Stakes."

Tip Toe Annie rallied for second in each of her first two races, both in Ontario-sired sprints. With the addition of blinkers last time, she won her maiden going a mile and 70 yards under Patrick Husbands.

"I thought her last race was quite good," Casse said. "Patrick said the blinkers made her much more aggressive early. He said the first two times he rode her, he couldn't get her into the race. She's been training well. I wouldn't be surprised to see her get a piece of the pie."

Husbands, who was named on both Casse runners, is expected to ride Six Pack Sammy.

Mrs. Began should be a player off her lucrative maiden victory in the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth, a two-turn stakes for Canadian-breds.

Mrs. Began closed belatedly for third in each of her first two outings, including in the Shady Well Stakes. She underwent throat surgery after ending up fourth in the seven-furlong Muskoka, according to trainer Reade Baker.

"She had an entrapped epiglottis, which would make any horse stop," Baker said. "Once we fixed it, I expected improvement."

In the Oct. 20 Princess Elizabeth, Mrs. Began stalked the pace along the inside and then wore down favored Victory Romance to win by a neck.

"As she's gotten older, she's gotten more intelligent and more mature," said Baker. "She's grown into herself. At the start, she wasn't with it, but now she's getting with it. She's sound and healthy, and wants to go around two turns. Not all of them are in that position."