Proven on Tapeta, Lady Onyx steps up a level

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Irish import Lady Onyx romped in her local debut on Tapeta in her first start trainer for Mark Casse. She moves up to conditioned allowance company in a 6 1/2-furlong Tapeta sprint with a $50,000-$47,500 claiming option in Saturday’s Woodbine topper for fillies and mares.

Lady Onyx started five times last year on turf in Europe. After notching her debut over soft ground at Gowran Park in Ireland, she finished third in back-to-back stakes at minor tracks in Scotland and England. She went on hiatus after tailing off late in the summer.

Lady Onyx returned from an eight-month layoff in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance/optional claimer here April 27. After racing near the rear of a seven-horse field on the backstretch, she rallied stoutly on the outside to win going away with a 76 Beyer Speed Figure.

Sovereign Award-winning apprentice Sofia Vives, who led the rider standings heading into this week, retains the mount on Lady Onyx.

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Casse also sends out longshot Toeris in the seven-horse event. Team Valor International owns both Casse entrants, Lady Onyx in partnership with Steven Rocco and Toeris with 2023 Sovereign Award-winning owner Gary Barber.

Pleasure’s Gold should be dangerous if she brings her “A” game. Trained by Tino Attard, she annexed a restricted dirt stakes in 2022 at Fort Erie and won three of seven starts last year while running hot and cold.

Pleasure’s Gold won at this level in November and regained eligibility for it this year because of a new clause in the conditions that excludes Ontario-bred and Ontario-sired stakes scores at 2 and 3. She ran second behind the winter-raced Mrs. Green in her season opener while earning a 78 Beyer under Rafael Hernandez, who stays aboard.

Efficacious is making her first start for Tino’s son, Kevin. The Cairo Prince mare put together a three-race win streak during the winter over Turfway Park’s Tapeta when trained by Brad Cox. Her most recent race was a dull effort on the dirt at Aqueduct, and she was beaten a pole in her only other dirt start at Keeneland.

Efficacious has worked twice here on the Tapeta and Kazushi Kimura has the call. Going back five years, Kevin Attard has won at a 23 percent clip with new acquisitions, with a positive return on investment of $2.05.

Owen’s Tour Guide and Queen Macha were both winter-raced at Gulfstream Park.

Owen’s Tour Guide was far back in each of his winter excursions, including a dirt experiment. She was softened up in a speed duel when fourth behind Mrs. Green and Pleasure’s Gold here May 4.

Queen Macha competed around two turns throughout the winter before prevailing on the turnback to 6 1/2 furlongs in a first-level allowance/optional claimer here May 4.

Rounding out the field is Luz de La Luna, who’s protected by waiver in her first start since a Dec. 9 victory at this level.

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