Nashinda makes her encore

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The immensely promising Nashinda will make her much anticipated second start in Saturday's $137,125 My Dear Stakes, a five-furlong dash for 2-year-old fillies.

Nashinda was one of fastest 2-year-old debut winners at Woodbine in recent years when she graduated by 3 1/2 lengths under jockey David Clark on May 17. Her 4 1/2-furlong time of 51.80 seconds was good for a Beyer Speed Figure of 87.

Trainer Mac Benson was thrilled with Nashinda's effort.

"She was very impressive," Benson said. "David never moved on her - she did pretty much everything on her own. Hopefully, she's not one of those types who falls apart when you drop their head."

Nashinda is a full sister to the late-blooming Queen's Plate winner of 1998, Archers Bay. Benson, who also trained Nashinda's unbeaten sire, Silver Deputy, said Nashinda is built differently from Archers Bay.

"He was a different type," Benson said. "He was a big stud horse. She's got some size to her, but she's very agile."

Nashinda breezed a half-mile over the main track Monday in a sizzling 46 seconds under exercise rider Gaye Lynch, much to the delight of Benson.

He said Nashinda galloped out "in 58 and change. The rider didn't believe me when I told her how fast she went. She said she's so smooth that you can't feel her change leads. She just does everything effortlessly."

Also entered in the My Dear are Molly's Gone, Mrs. Mistofelees, Sun Skier, and the Mark Casse-trained trio of Maple Syrple, Solar Sail, and Island Greetings.

Maple Syrple also won her lone outing, a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special, with ease, scoring by eight lengths under Patrick Husbands and earning a Beyer Figure of 83.

"Patrick said she was running along, and he wasn't sure what he had underneath him," Casse said. "He said he clucked to her at about the eighth pole, and she dropped down about six inches and then took off. That's where she went from being a length in front to being eight in front."

Maple Syrple was a $350,000 2-year-old purchase at the Ocala March sale by Team Valor and Robert Wilson, a partnership that also owns Added Edge, last year's Canadian champion 2-year-old.

"She's been very impressive from day one." Casse said. "She's a beautiful mover."

* Battlements and Goldies Legacy are among the six Canadian-bred 3-year-olds in Saturday's supporting feature, the Afleet Stakes, a six-furlong dash worth $106,000.