Casse sends pair in optional-claiming feature

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Grade 3 Jacques Cartier Stakes, scheduled for Saturday at Woodbine, was postponed to Thursday because it attracted just four entries, including Pink Lloyd.

Saturday’s featured second-level optional claimer is the nightcap on the nine-race card. Leading trainer Mark Casse entered Neepawa and Lord Wimborne in the 1 1/16-mile turf route, which will be run in the outermost lane five on the main course.

Neepawa was one of the top 3-year-olds on the grounds in 2018, during which he won the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Stakes, in front-running style. Neepawa is winless in seven starts since then, but this second race off a long layoff could be a peak one. He wound up 10th in his comeback April 23 at Gulfstream, when dismissed at 57-1.

Jerome Lermyte, who was aboard for Neepawa’s Breeders’ triumph, has the mount on the nicely bred son of the late Scat Daddy. Neepawa is owned by Chiefswood Stables.

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Lord Wimborne, an English import, graduated in spring 2019 at Keeneland and subsequently cleared the first allowance condition here in October. His lone start this year was an eighth-place finish in a second-level optional event on Feb. 14 at Fair Grounds.

Like Neepawa, Lord Wimborne has been working at Casse’s training center in Ocala, Fla. Kazushi Kimura, who was up for his local victory, will ride the Gary Barber-owned 4-year-old.

Say the Word was winter-raced at Fair Grounds as well. The runner-up in the 2018 Breeders’, Say the Word landed on the edges in his first two winter races before an eighth-place finish in a third-level optional claimer. The 5-year-old is tagged for $62,500 here with Steve Bahen riding for trainer Gail Cox.

Cox also entered Count Again, a Sam-Son Farm homebred who’s making his first start for her. Count Again came from left field to beat first-level allowance opposition last time out going a mile at Tampa. Luis Contrera will ride the lightly raced 5-year-old.

Malibu Uproar was claimed off Sam-Son and Cox from a second-place finish on the grass for $40,000 last September by trainer Kevin Attard. With no turf racing offered at the end of the 2019 meet, he started twice on the Tapeta, the best of which was a runner-up placing.

Burning Man has been idle since prevailing in a good first-level allowance on the Tapeta on Dec. 6. His best of six turf races was a maiden victory over this course and distance on Sept. 8.

Aheadbyacentury is winless since taking the 2017 Coronation Futurity, although he managed to finish second in both the 2018 Queen’s Plate and Prince of Wales Stakes. His lone grass start came over yielding ground and was a distant eighth in the 2018 Breeders’