Juliet's Spirit returns to the scene

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Juliet's Spirit recently returned to Woodbine, where she made quite a splash last year as a 2-year-old, and she should make her presence known in Saturday's $150,000 Duchess Stakes. The unbeaten Carem Crescent will likely be favored in the seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

Juliet's Spirit, trained by Steve Asmussen, won her first three starts last year, including the five-furlong My Dear Stakes over two stablemates. She took the six-furlong Ontario Debutante Stakes in August before shipping to Turfway, where she finished up the track in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies. She also bombed in her only other 2-year-old outing here Nov. 15, the seven-furlong Glorious Song Stakes.

In her lone appearance this year, which came June 20, Juliet's Spirit captured the $100,000 Lady Charles Town Stakes over 4 1/2 furlongs, with an 89 Beyer Speed Figure.

"She came here directly after her win at Charles Town," said assistant trainer Hank Gensler. "She's been training great. Everything tells me that she's ready to run a big race back. A four-and-a-half-furlong race was a nice spot for her first start back off a long layoff."

In spite of her two subpar efforts in longer races, Gensler is confident about running her seven furlongs on Saturday.

"I think seven-eighths will be all right," Gensler said. "She had a real bad break in the Kentucky Cup. When she came back here, she was a little sour after running on a pretty steady schedule. It was a good thing to give her a break. She sat off the pace [in the Lady Charles Town], so I don't think she'll have any problems making the distance."

Carem Crescent, trained by Malcolm Pierce, came from mid-pack to win both of her races, including a six-furlong maiden special in June. Carem Crescent blew away first-level allowance types July 3. For covering 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.11, she was awarded a 90 Beyer.

Sans Sousi, trained by Mike Doyle, won the seven-furlong Lady Angela Stakes in May, and is coming off a third on turf in the Passing Mood, another Ontario sire stakes.

"My filly has two things going for her," said Doyle. "She's sound and she tries every time. Six to seven furlongs on the Poly is her best."

Completing the field are the U.S. invaders She's Extreme and Cosmic Queen, along with Closing Speed, Woodsmoke, and High Mist.