Saskawea looks best off last Beyer

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Saskawea had an eventful summer before winning the Ruling Angel Stakes, and should be favored against Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies in Sunday's $150,000 Jammed Lovely Stakes at Woodbine.

Saskawea ran in all three legs of this year's Canadian triple tiara series for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies. She was second to Sealy Hill in both the Woodbine Oaks and Wonder Where Stakes, and was a fading fifth in the Bison City Stakes.

Following a three-month layoff, Saskawea won the 6 1/2-furlong Ruling Angel with a career-high 91 Beyer Speed Figure, much to the delight of trainer Steve Attard.

"It surprised me how she did it," said Attard. "She was closer to the pace than I thought she would be. She wasn't 100 percent fit, and it was amazing for her to run like that."

Saskawea suffered a series of setbacks during the summer. "She had everything go wrong," Attard said. "She had something stuck in her foot, and it got infected. Then she had a bruised hind foot, and then she got colic. In a way, it worked out in our favor, because after chasing [Sealy Hill] this summer, she might have needed a break."

The other contenders in the seven-furlong sprint are You Will Love Me - the 125-pound highweight - Lyrically, and Dance to My Tune.

You Will Love Me is at the end of a productive campaign, during which she's won 4 of 7 starts, including three restricted stakes.

Trainer Earl Barnett said he decided to give You Will Love Me a break after her lackluster third-place finish on turf in the Sept. 15 La Prevoyante Stakes.

"She's had some time off to freshen up," said Barnett. "She never left the track. I kept her in training, and she's had quite a few works. She's matured a little bit. She's dead fit. The cool weather will help her. It's seven-eighths on the Polytrack, and she likes that. I think she'll run a big race."

Lyrically wound up third behind champion Financingavailable and Count to Three when meeting older opponents last Saturday in the Ontario Fashion Stakes.

Dance to My Tune was supplemented at a cost of $3,000. She won her last Polytrack start going long in the Sept. 22 La Lorgnette Stakes, and is coming off a second-place finish on turf in the Carotene Stakes.