Miss Crissy wants firm turf
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Cruising Executive and Miss Crissy meet for the second time in two months Saturday at Woodbine in the $137,125 La Prevoyante Stakes, a one-mile turf race for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies.
Cruising Executive beat Miss Crissy in the July 16 Passing Mood Stakes, benefiting from an ideal pace setup. She raced well off a three-way speed duel in that seven-furlong turf race before closing to prevail by a length. She was racing just a week removed from a maiden win in her 2003 return.
Trainer Phil England said he was leery about running Cruising Executive back so quickly, but decided to do so at the urging of owner Bill Sorokolit.
"It looked like she had a tough maiden race," England said. "She only got there by a head. How often would you run a filly like that back in a week? She's a tough little girl."
Cruising Executive has run two decent races in open company, since the restricted Passing Mood. She finished fourth in the allowance prep for the Ontario Colleen Handicap, only to be disqualified and placed sixth, and finished fourth after a wide trip in the Colleen.
England said he was content with Cruising Executive's effort in the Colleen, in which was beaten six lengths by Kentucky shipper Shaconage.
"We were really pleased with her," England said. "She was in the 13 hole, but she had a good trip."
Miss Crissy was arguably best in the seven-furlong Passing Mood, in which she helped set fast fractions before giving way. Trainer Emile Allain believes she would have won her last start, in the Grade 3 Duchess Stakes on the main track, had she gotten a clear run along the rail through the stretch. She finished third after getting shut off at the eighth pole in the seven-furlong race.
"The way it was shaping up, she was going through the hole," Allain said. "She got stopped and had to be checked, and then she came around and was only beaten a length."
After toting at least 120 pounds in four of her five starts this year, Miss Crissy has to carry ony 114 pounds on Saturday.
Allain is confident the distance is within her range.
"If the turf is firm, I think she'll handle the distance," Allain predicted. "I don't think she'll get a mile if the turf is soft. She seems to be learning to relax a little bit more. She's coming up to the race quite well."