Miss Speedy points to Bison City Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Miss Speedy lived up to her name last Sunday when she put up a 90 Beyer Speed Figure in her four-length Ontario-sired allowance score going 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta. It was the highest Beyer earned by a 3-year-old filly at Woodbine this year.

Debuting for trainer Denyse McClachrie here July 10, Miss Speedy blew the break before closing through traffic to win going away by 3 3/4 lengths. The huge daughter of hot Ontario sire Souper Speedy earned a 75 Beyer in the 5 1/2-furlong maiden special. A majority interest in Miss Speedy was subsequently sold to Gary Barber, and Mark Casse took over the training duties.

“We were very impressed with the way she won, and the trouble she overcame,” Casse recalled.

Miss Speedy is expected to reappear here Aug. 28 in the $250,000 Bison City Stakes, the second race of the Canadian Triple Tiara, a series for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.

“She could be something very special,” Casse said.

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Casse said reigning Canadian champion male 2-year-old Gretzky the Great will stick to the grass and not contest the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown on dirt Sept. 14 at Fort Erie.

Gretzky the Great has been hindered by a quarter crack this year and would not be ready to travel 1 1/4 miles in Sunday’s $1 million Queen’s Plate. He was, however, ready to go seven furlongs on turf in last Sunday’s Greenwood Stakes, which he won in a determined front-running performance.

“I was very proud of Gretzky,” Casse said. “We only got to breeze him a couple of times. He showed a lot of grit to win.”

Casse is aiming Gretzky the Great to the $125,000 Toronto Cup Stakes here Sept. 12.

Casse said he has Woodbine Oaks fifth-place finisher Curlin’s Catch, a stakes winner on dirt at Tampa, for the Prince of Wales. He won the 2012 Prince of Wales with the good filly Dixie Strike.

Olympic Runner and March to the Arch finished first and third, respectively, in Sunday’s Grade 2 King Edward. Casse said both will run back in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 18, a Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In qualifier. March to the Arch was a troubled second in last year’s Woodbine Mile, while leaving Olympic Runner in his wake in fourth.

“I think both of those horses will be tough in the Woodbine Mile,” Casse predicted.

◗ Casse sends out Frosted Icing in Friday’s feature, a first-level allowance for 3-year-olds over five-eighths on the inner turf. Frosted Icing is adding blinkers off a distant fourth in an allowance sprint on the Tapeta. The son of Frosted was previously victorious on debut in a maiden special weight dash on the inner turf course.