Casse sends trio in co-feature

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – There are no stakes on Saturday’s nine-race card at Woodbine, during which two allowance/optional-claimers for fillies and mares will be run, making up half of the late pick four.

Trainer Mark Casse sends out the trio of Lunch With Bernie, Catch the Drift, and Logistics in the seventh, a six-furlong sprint combining non-winners of two with $50,000 3-year-olds.

Lunch With Bernie finished third in the Fury Stakes before a fifth-place finish in the 2024 Woodbine Oaks. When the smoke cleared, she was winless in seven starts last year, but she nearly prevailed at this level in October before completing her season with a third in November.

Catch the Drift has been idle since graduating in her 10th start in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special in October under Rafael Hernandez, who has landed on Lunch With Bernie in this spot. Apprentice Austin Adams takes over on Catch the Drift, who has been working with “Bernie” on a regular schedule.

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Over the past five years, Casse has won at a 17 percent rate with runners coming off a six-month layoff or more at Woodbine, with a return on investment of $1.61.

Logistics was eased the last time she saw action, Feb. 28 at Oaklawn, where she spun her wheels on the dirt. In her most recent local outing at the level Nov. 30, she got away slowly before closing for second as the favorite. Last year’s leading rider, Sahin Civaci, has the mount on the 4-year-old.

Trainer Steve Chircop sends out Our Lady in the seventh and Hay Hay Paula in the eighth. They worked a fast five furlongs together in 59.20 seconds on April 27, after which Our Lady graduated in front-running style with the aid of an inside bias May 4 while putting up a big 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

Hay Hay Paula competes for the $32,000 tag in the eighth, a seven-furlong race in which four of the six entrants are eligible for the first allowance condition. The eight-time winner got the winter off after scoring in a seven-furlong starter-optional claimer while overcoming a speed bias Dec. 7.

I’m Into Mischief could vie for favoritism with Never Silent in the eighth.

A $32,000 claim last fall by trainer Marty Drexler, I’m Into Mischief beat non-winners of three in December before two lackluster performances at Gulfstream. She set soft fractions before holding on for second when reappearing here May 3. Civaci retains the mount on the daughter of perennial leading sire Into Mischief.

Trained by Catherine Day Phillips, Never Silent is unraced since a rare poor showing Dec. 7. She has a history of running well when fresh and has worked extensively since late March. The 4-year-old is being reunited with the leading apprentice Pietro Moran, who rode her in a Sept. 7 victory, after which he was sidelined for the remainder of the meet due to injury.

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