Champion Leigh Court returns from 10-month layoff in Seaway Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Leigh Court, Canada’s 2013 champion 3-year-old filly, will return to action for the first time since finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland last October in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Seaway Stakes at Woodbine.

Leigh Court won five of nine starts last year, including three stakes victories, and was undefeated in two starts at seven furlongs on Woodbine’s Polytrack. The Seaway will be contested at that distance.

Leigh Court was sent to the farm for a break after her start at Keeneland last October and is now finally getting back to the races.

“We just found it took her a little longer to come back than we expected,” said trainer Josie Carroll. “She’s been training tremendously, and she would have run sooner, but the prep for this race didn’t fill.”

Carroll said she expects Leigh Court to contend for the early lead Sunday, as she did in seven of her nine starts as a 3-year-old.

“That’s what she seems to like to do,” Carroll said.

KEY CONTENDERS

Leigh Court (Last 3 Beyers: 92-91-92)

◗ Leigh Court won the Duchess Stakes impressively at seven furlongs here last year, setting a moderate pace before drawing away to win by 5 1/2 lengths. She could be vulnerable if someone decides to go with her early, as she had an uncontested lead in seven of her nine starts last season.

◗ DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Carroll has an 11 percent strike rate with horses returning from a layoff of 180 days or more, including 0 for 5 in stakes.

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Spring in the Air (Last 3 Beyers: 81-86-75)

◗ Spring in the Air won the Grade 3 Hendrie Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs this year, closing wide into a quick pace. If Spring in the Air runs here, jockey Patrick Husbands will need to keep her from falling too far behind early.

◗ DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Trainer Mark Casse has won 19 percent of the time with horses cutting back from a route to a sprint in graded stakes over the past five years, with a return on investment of $1.18.

Star Pearl (Last 3 Beyers: 87-76-74)

◗ Star Pearl ships in for this event off a win in the Northern Fling Stakes for Pennsylvania-breds over a mile at Presque Isle Downs on July 13. She likely will stalk Leigh Court from the outside and should be there to take advantage if Leigh Court falters off the long layoff.

◗ DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Trainer Graham Motion is just 1 for 24 shipping to Woodbine over the past five years, including an 0-for-11 record in graded stakes.