Jealous Forum not yet in '02 stride

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Jealous Forum, one of the top 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine in 2001, has struggled this season but will try to get back in the groove when she faces older fillies and mares in Friday's $74,400 headliner.

A field of six will line up in the $62,500 allowance/optional claimer, which will be run at 1 1/16 miles.

Jealous Forum looked to have a world of potential when she captured the My Dear Stakes here in the spring of 2001. She subsequently ran second in the Ontario Debutante Stakes and fourth in the Grade 3 Natalma Stakes on turf.

Jealous Forum suffered a tough loss in the Grade 1 Mazarine Breeders' Cup Stakes in September, finishing a neck behind Lady Shari in second after opening up a clear lead in midstretch. In her only other 2-year-old engagement, in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Belmont, she checked in eighth after saving ground on a dead rail.

Jealous Forum launched her current campaign in the April 6 Star Shoot Stakes, in which she was a nonthreatening seventh. She finished ninth, beaten four lengths after a five-wide trip, in her most recent race, on turf in the 6 1/2-furlong Alywow Stakes.

Mark Casse, the meet's leading trainer with 26 wins through Sunday, will give Patrick Husbands a leg up on Jealous Forum, who is a half-sister to graded stakes winners Trippi and Appealing Skier.

Also entered in Friday's feature are Withoutapproval, Gorilla My Dreams, Miss Icicle, Langano, and Cosa Rara.

Gorilla My Dreams found the mark just once in 2001, but she banked $83,220 on the year for owner Frank DiGiulio Jr. and trainer Bob Tiller.

She was second in a pair of seven-furlong sprints at this level in April and May, but is coming off a surprisingly poor performance at 1 1/16 miles, in which she failed to show her customary speed.

Gorilla My Dreams, who breezed five-eighths in a bullet 1:00.20 last Friday, should redeem herself here with David Clark back in the saddle.

Cosa Rara, a five-time winner in seven starts last year, is winless in three outings at this stand. Trained by Tino Attard, she is moving up from the $62,500 optional claiming level, at which she was fourth after a tardy break in her last attempt.

Miss Icicle is jumping up in class off a come-from-behind score in a preliminary allowance, in which she benefited from a quick pace. A late-blooming 4-year-old, Miss Icicle is owned by trainer Henry Palecki in partnership with Bill Tucker.

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