Reade, Casse competitors dominate Glorious Song

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainers Reade Baker and Mark Casse are in the thick of the chase for all of the top trainer categories here at Woodbine, with number of winners, money won, and stakes wins all up for grabs during the final weeks of the meeting.

On Sunday, Baker and Casse will account for half of the 10-horse field in the $125,000 Glorious Song, a seven-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies that shares top billing with the Kennedy Road Stakes.

Bear Bullet Too, Bear Now, and Lady Digby form the Baker triumvirate, while Casse will counter with Sealy Hill and Sprung.

All will race as separate betting interests, which helps make handicapping the Glorious Song an extremely challenging exercise.

Sealy Hill, an Ontario-bred who races for her breeder, Eugene Melnyk, could rule as the favorite based on the Beyer Speed Figure of 91 that she earned for her 7 1/4-length maiden victory over the Glorious Song distance here Oct. 20.

"I decided to bring her back at seven furlongs," said Casse, who earlier had announced his intention of reserving Sealy Hill for the 1 1/16-mile Ontario Lassie here Dec. 2.

"If she gives us her last race right back, she'll be really tough."

Patrick Husbands retains the mount on Sealy Hill, who finished third at seven furlongs here Sept. 23 in her only outing prior to her maiden win. Sealy Hill drew favorably here in post 7.

Sprung, a Kentucky-bred owned by Woodford Racing LLC, upset the Grade 3 Natalma over one mile on turf in her racing debut on Sept. 10.

In her next appearance, on Sept. 30, Sprung moved strongly to the lead on the far turn of the Grade 3, 1 1/16-mile Mazarine but tired in the stretch to finish sixth.

"I think she'll like seven furlongs; she's pretty fast," said Casse. "That last race was such a crazily run race that I'm throwing it out. She's training really good."

Leading rider Emma-Jayne Wilson takes over aboard Sprung, who drew the outside post.

Bear Bullet Too and Bear Now, who both are Kentucky-breds owned by the Bear Stable of Danny Dion, each is coming off a front-running victory at six furlongs.

Bear Bullet Too, making her third start and her first since June 10, earned a Beyer Figure of 87 after drawing off to a four-length maiden win here Nov. 3.

"She chipped an ankle in behind in her second start," said Baker. "She went back to Kentucky, and was operated on."

Baker said he was not surprised by Bear Bullet Too's dramatic improvement in her return.

"I expected that," he said. "I was very disappointed when she didn't run winning races earlier. She'd trained like she was a nice filly."

Jim McAleney retains the mount on Bear Bullet Too, who will start from post 6.

Bear Now will be seeking her third straight win after graduating over six furlongs here Sept. 22 and doubling up in a first-level allowance on Nov. 8.

"She was collared turning for home, and came back and dusted them," said Baker. "I've always been high on her."

Corey Fraser will be back aboard Bear Now, who drew post 9.

Lady Digby, bred in Kentucky by her owner, Earle Mack, displayed a front-running style winning her six-furlong debut on Sept. 9 and then stalked the pace en route to a second-place finish in a first-level allowance over seven furlongs on Oct. 6.

"She ran well, taking her back off the pace last time," said Baker. "But, it didn't help her chances of winning that day."

Emile Ramsammy takes over aboard Lady Digby, who will start from post 4.

Baker is cognizant of the fact that the styles of Bear Bullet Too, Bear Now, and perhaps Lady Dibgy could clash in the Glorious Song.

"Everybody's going to go out and do their own thing," said Baker. "Sometimes, you get thinking too much."

Others in the Glorious Song who could make their presence felt include Frisk Her, a Monmouth Park shipper coming off a victory in the six-furlong Holly Stakes at the Meadowlands on Oct. 27, and Banker's Street, who is cutting back to a sprint for the red-hot Sid Attard after faltering to finish sixth in the 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth.

Acoustic Shadow likely for Display

This coming Saturday's feature will be the $125,000 Display, a 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds.

Acoustic Shadow, an impressive winner of the Display prep, is among the probable contestants, along with Jiggs Coz, Approval Rating, Break Even, Windward Islands, and Angel of the House.

The $150,000 Bessarabian, a seven-furlong race for fillies and mares, goes next Sunday.

Financingavailable, Shot Gun Ela, Count to Three, and Bosskiri, are among the probable starters for the Bessarabian.

* Sunday, Nov. 26, is the deadline for Sovereign Award eligibility. Horses must have made three starts in Canada this year to be eligible for consideration.

* Jockeys Justin Stein and Jono Jones will be serving three-day suspensions this week after both dropped their appeals of earlier rulings. Stein is suspended Thursday through Saturday, while Jones will be out Friday through Sunday.