Jennifer Lynnette looks set for season debut in Star Shoot
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Last November’s Glorious Song Stakes is a focal point for Saturday’s $125,000 Star Shoot Stakes at Woodbine, and Jennifer Lynnette makes her first start since then in the six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.
Jennifer Lynnette graduated convincingly in front-running style at first asking in October over a quality field that included the future stakes winner Sophia’s Song. In the seven-furlong Glorious Song, she broke slowly before closing for third and then galloped out in front of her eight rivals.
After working on grass at Winding Oaks Farm in Ocala, Fla., in March, Jennifer Lynnette breezed a bullet five-eighths here in 59.20 seconds on the Tapeta last Monday.
“She’s doing very well,” trainer Mark Casse said. “She had a really nice breeze the other day. I was sitting on the fence about running her. I actually think she wants to run farther than [three-quarters], but with the smaller field, we thought we’d enter and have a look.”
Five others were entered in the Star Shoot, the eighth race on a 10-race card of sprints.
Star Shoot, Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Jennifer Lynnette, by Elusive Quality
Last 2 Beyers: 78-73
◗ Casse is quite high on the Woodbine Oaks prospect, who is out of a half-sister to Grade 2 stakes winner Cat Fighter.
Treasuring, by Smart Strike
Last 3 Beyers: 69-70-75
◗ The X factor in the field has competed exclusively on dirt and has just one easy half-mile work on the Tapeta to her credit. She made all eight of her starts for trainer Bob Baffert in Southern California, where she ran fourth in a first-level allowance at Santa Anita on March 18.
DRF Formulator Fact: Her new trainer, Josie Carroll, owns a 20 percent strike rate with new acquisitions over the past five years, with a return on investment of $2.25.
Holy Flame, by Pulpit
Last 3 Beyers: 73-69-76
◗ After closing belatedly for fourth in the Glorious Song, she wintered at Palm Meadows with trainer Stu Simon. Her best effort was arguably her four-length debut score, which is an indicator that she could run big off a layoff.
Tiz Imaginary, by Tizway
Last 3 Beyers: 73-74-71
◗ After notching her first two outings, most notably the restricted Fanfreluche Stakes, she finished a flat fifth in the Glorious Song. She has been working locally for trainer Mike Doyle, who sent out several live layoff runners here during opening weekend.
Swoop and Strike, by Smart Strike
Last 3 Beyers: 58-74-63
◗ The Sam-Son Farm homebred finished second in the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes going long at age 2. She appears to be prepping for longer stakes such as the Woodbine Oaks.