Quiet Jungle moves up on turf

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Quiet Jungle is arguably the one to fear most among three horses exiting the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes who are entered in Thursday's sixth race at Woodbine. The 1 1/8-mile allowance on turf serves as the local prep for the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes on Sept. 7.

Quiet Jungle was competitive on Polytrack last year, but she has found her niche on the grass this season, according to assistant trainer Hugh Chatman.

"She's a lovely filly," said Chatman. "When we ran her first time on the grass this spring at Keeneland, she showed that she was going to be a different filly on the turf."

Quiet Jungle kicked off her campaign with a narrow loss in a second-level allowance at Keeneland. Trainer Mark Frostad moved her up to a Grade 2 stakes here May 31 in the Nassau, in which she was beaten a nose under Robert Landry after showing speed, dropping back, and then re-rallying.

"She ran a big race against a nice bunch of fillies in the Nassau," said Chatman. "It was a slow pace, and Landry said she took herself back a bit when things got a little tight. She lost position, and then she had to come through traffic."

Quiet Jungle came from off very slow fractions to end up third in the July 12 Dance Smartly. She should have an honest pace to run at Thursday, if Frostad elects to use his other entrant, Stroke the Tiger, as a rabbit.

Sprung barely beat Quiet Jungle for second in the nine-furlong Dance Smartly, after closing from third. She was previously fourth in the Grade 3 Mint Julep Handicap at Churchill, where she captured a second-level allowance May 7.

Sprung won her debut at 2 in the Grade 3 Natalma Stakes. The 4-year-old Sprung is trained by Mark Casse, who recorded career victory number 1,000 here last Saturday.

Callwood Dancer stole the 1 1/16-mile Nassau on the front end, which was her first stakes victory. In the Dance Smartly, she pressed The Niagara Queen on the lead before fading to fifth in the final furlong.

Trainer Roger Attfield has worked Callwood Dancer three times leading up to Thursday's race, in which she will likely assume a stalking position.

Saskawea should be forwardly placed, as she stretches out from six furlongs for her second appearance of the year. She was second in the 2007 Wonder Where Stakes in her lone turf attempt.