Lexie Lou trying turf in Wonder Where Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The gifted Lexie Lou makes her much-anticipated first start since beating the boys in the $1 million Queen’s Plate in Sunday’s $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes at Woodbine.
Lexie Lou has evolved into the leading 3-year-old in Canada since being purchased by owner Gary Barber and trainer Mark Casse in the spring. After a close third in the May 10 Fury Stakes, she captured the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks over nine furlongs and then took the overland route while winning the 10-furlong Queen’s Plate under Patrick Husbands.
The 10-furlong Wonder Where is the final leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, a lucrative series for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies. It’s the first grass start for Lexie Lou, who breezed five-eighths in 1:01.80 around the cones over the turf training course here July 23.
“When I worked her on the turf, she was so happy,” said Husbands. “She’s at her best right now. She’s peaking. Any [surface] that you’d put her on right now, she’d probably run on it. She came out of the Plate good. I’m just hoping for the best.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Lexie Lou. Trainer Mark Casse is 3 for 26 with a $0.53 ROI over the past five years with horses trying turf for the first time in routes, following a winning effort.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Trainer Roger Attfield entered Hantaloop, Llanarmon, and Chique to Chique in the Wonder Where, which he has won four times.
KEY CONTENDERS
Lexie Lou (Last 3 Beyers: 88-92-80)
◗ FORMULATOR FACT: Casse is 3 for 21 (14 percent, 43 percent in the money) with horses making their first turf start in non-graded stakes during the past five years ($0.92 return on investment).
◗ The daughter of Sligo Bay is out of a durable mare who won several high-priced claimers on grass in Southern California.
Hantaloop (Last 3 Beyers: 82-73-46)
◗ Attfield is quite high on the daughter of Giant’s Causeway, who’s making her turf debut off an entry-level level allowance score in which she earned an 81 Beyer Speed Figure. “She’s worked very well on the grass,” Attfield said.
◗ The large bay is out of a stakes-placed grasser who won a first-level allowance going 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream.
Llanarmon (Last 3 Beyers: 62-82-77)
◗ The Grade 2 turf stakes winner is coming off a non-threatening fifth as the favorite in the Ontario Damsel Stakes. “It’s kind of worrying, actually, because I can’t find any reason why [she didn’t run her race],” said Attfield, who is putting blinkers on her.
Regal Conqueror (Last 3 Beyers: 80-66-63)
◗ The daughter of Sky Conqueror and Grade 2 Canadian winner Classic Stamp ran to her quality turf pedigree while landing the one-mile Ontario Damsel. Ten furlongs seems within her range.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Fancy Ribbons. Trainer Ian Black is 8 for 39 with a $2.43 ROI over the past five years in turf routes following a finish in the money.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan