Deeveetee taking drop

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Stakes performer Deeveetee drops into a $100,000 claimer for 3-year-old fillies in Friday's second race, and could be the tepid favorite in the six-furlong Polytrack sprint.

Deeveetee graduated over seven furlongs in her third start at 2 before running fourth behind High Mist and Sans Sousi in the restricted Fanfreluche Stakes in October.

After losing a first-level allowance by a nose here in November, Deeveetee was shipped to Santa Anita, where she won a six-furlong optional claimer in December with a Beyer Speed Figure of 82. She was unplaced in her next two Southern California outings, both stakes.

Deeveetee awaited room on the turn before rallying wide for second in the six-furlong Star Shoot Stakes here in her next-to-last start. She never fired after getting away slowly most recently in the seven-furlong Fury Stakes, and wound up fifth.

Tyler Pizarro picks up the mount on Deeveetee, one of two entrants trained by Mark Casse, along with Closing Speed.

Closing Speed also spent the winter at Santa Anita, where she won a $100,000 maiden claimer in February. She parlayed a three-wide stalking trip into a narrow score in a first-level allowance here April 10.

Leading rider Patrick Husbands will pilot Closing Speed, who was scratched from the May 17 La Lorgnette Stakes.

Lola B. hasn't started since her fourth-place finish in a Sept. 11 allowance won by High Mist. She was fourth, 2 1/4 lengths behind the winner, in the Ontario Debutante Stakes here Aug. 16, just two weeks after her runner-up finish in the Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies Stakes on the dirt.

Apprentice Melanie Giddings was named on Lola B., who is trained by Kevin Attard.

Mountain Echo ran seven times at 2, with her lone victory coming against $32,000 maidens in August. She went on to place in three consecutive allowances, and then capped her campaign by running sixth behind Selva and Hooh Why in the open Glorious Song Stakes.

In her lone appearance this year against older allowance opposition, Mountain Echo came wide from mid-pack to finish a respectable third.

John Mattine inherits the training duties on Mountain Echo from his father, Tony, who died last week. Jim McAleney retains the mount.

Australian Posse wintered at the Fair Grounds before wiring a small field in a five-furlong allowance here April 11.

Rounding out the field is Kasablanca Express, who defeated three next-out winners when she trounced $32,000 maidens at 23-1 on opening day.