Lady Shipman looks to atone in Royal North
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Lady Shipman lost at 1-2 against the boys in the Grade 2 Highlander Stakes in her first start at Woodbine, but she will get a chance against her own sex in Sunday’s $150,000 Royal North Stakes.
Lady Shipman was among the leading turf sprinters on the continent last year, when she won 7 of 10 starts and ran second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.
Lady Shipman won the License Fee Stakes, going the six-furlong distance of the Royal North, on May 1 at Belmont, and then doubled up in the five-furlong The Very One Stakes at Pimlico.
Most recently, in the six-furlong Highlander on July 3, Lady Shipman dueled up front with the hard-knocking veteran Something Extra, before fading in the final furlong to finish fifth.
Jesse Campbell picks up the mount on the Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Lady Shipman, who figures to be the controlling speed in the 10-horse Royal North field. The Grade 3 event is race eight on a good 10-race card.
KEY CONTENDERS
Lady Shipman, by Midshipman
Last 3 Beyers: 94-99-106
◗ McLaughlin has begun the Saratoga meet with a bang. His most notable Woodbine stakes scores were with Shakespeare in the 2007 Woodbine Mile, and with Volga in the 2003 E.P. Taylor.
Mississippi Delta, by Giant’s Causeway
Last 3 Beyers: 92-90-92
◗ The Mark Casse-trained 4-year-old is turning back off a fourth in the one-mile Perfect Sting Stakes at Belmont. She finished a lapped-on second to her accomplished stablemate Lexie Lou in the Grade 2 Nassau here in May.
Josdesanimaux, by Leroidesanimaux
Last 3 Beyers: 85-83-90
◗ The restricted stakes winner has worked extensively on the Tapeta for Casse, who sent her out to finish fourth and fifth in Grade 3, 1 1/16-mile stakes this year. This is her local debut.
“Both fillies have had some success at a mile, but there aren’t a whole lot of mile races out there right now,” Casse said. “Both have good speed, so my thought was maybe we give them a try to see if they’re turf sprinters. You never know until you try. Both have been training really well.”
Cactus Kris, by Cactus Ridge
Last 3 Beyers: 89-96-89
◗ She has shipped in from her Presque Isle base to plunder Woodbine regularly. Her last trip across the border resulted in a five-length triumph in the Grade 3 Hendrie on the Tapeta on May 8, which came on the heels of a closing second in the Giant’s Causeway Stakes on the Keeneland turf.