Lexie Lou debuts for new connections in Fury Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine Oaks prospect Lexie Lou makes her first start for owner Gary Barber and trainer Mark Casse in the $150,000 Fury Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Woodbine.

Lexie Lou was one of the leading 2-year-old fillies in the country last year. She was a charging fourth in her season opener, the six-furlong Star Shoot Stakes, after which she was sold by owner-trainer John Ross to Barber.

Casse is eyeing the June 15 Oaks but also is keen on trying Lexie Lou on grass, over which she’s yet to compete.

“We’ve watched her run, and we liked her,” Casse said. “I’ve only worked her once, and she worked well. We think she’s a really nice filly on the synthetic, but our feeling is that she might be a little better on the grass. That’s one of the things that intrigued us about her. We’ll see when the time comes.”

Casse also entered Wild Catomine, who graduated at first asking in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race April 19. The daughter of Milwaukee Brew was a local $110,000 yearling purchase by two-time Sovereign Award-winning owner John Oxley, who recently supplemented her to the Oaks.

“We thought a lot of her last year,” Casse said. “We just couldn’t seem to get her to where we thought she was at her best. Finally, we sent her home and gave her the winter off. She came back and trained really well, and I thought her first race was good. She’s a beautiful filly.”

Trainer Nick Gonzalez entered three in the nine-horse Fury, including Wild N Clever, who was supplemented for $3,000 off a narrow loss against males in allowance company.

The lone U.S.-based shipper is Hot and Spicy, who won her lone outing on the grass at Gulfstream for trainer James Bond.