Debutante: Casse holds aces

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Mark Casse is holding a very strong hand for Sunday's Ontario Debutante Stakes, and should win a large chunk of the $112,200 purse if he plays all his cards.

Casse entered four of the nine 2-year-old fillies in the six-furlong dash - Jealous Form, Fullup, Misty Expectation, and Ms. Forum. He said Thursday that he plans on running Jealous Form and Fullup, plus either Misty Expectation or Ms. Forum.

Unbeaten Jealous Forum is in a league of her own in the race in terms of Beyer Speed Figures. She won her debut on the front end, and rallied four wide in her only other start, in the My Dear Stakes, earning an 80-plus Beyer on both occasions.

Jealous Forum will make her first start with Lasix. "She made a little noise when she was breezing a few weeks ago," Casse said. "We scoped her, and she had bled a little bit."

Casse said the Debutante is a pivotal race for Jealous Forum, who is a half-sister to stakes winners Trippi, Miss Jealski, and Appealing Skier.

"If she runs," Casse said, "it will be her third start in Canada, which would make her eligible for a Sovereign Award. I'd like to run her back in the Matron at Belmont if she runs well."

Misty Expectation, who is also making her first start with Lasix, graduated second time out by

6 1/2 lengths while earning a 62 Beyer.

"She won impressively," Casse said, "but the time was slow and she didn't get a very good Beyer. She was running into a very strong headwind. The wind died down later that night, so I think she actually ran a better race than what it looks like on paper."

Fullup - not coupled with the other Casse runners in the Mockingbird Farm entry - won her lone race easily for owner Robert Wilson.

"I like her," Casse said. "She only won for $50,000, but she's come back to train very well."

Completing the Debutante field are Playing Games, Miss Noire, Platel, Happy to Be Home, and Ginger Gold.

Playing Games hit the board behind Jealous Forum in two of her three starts, including the five-furlong My Dear.

"She drew the inside post and ran inside in the stake," said trainer David Bell. "She got more aggressive early than she was before, but ran okay. I think she'll improve off that race."

Ginger Gold led most of the way after bearing out at the break to win the restricted Shady Well Stakes when she made her debut for trainer Sid Attard July 8.