School Girl looks good on the drop

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – School Girl gets some class relief in Thursday’s fifth race at Woodbine, and should be well backed in the $50,000 claimer for fillies and mares.

School Girl earned black type last November, when she wound up second in the $50,000 Holiday Inaugural Stakes at Turfway. After spending part of last winter at the Fair Grounds, she went to Keeneland, where she finished second for $32,000, in a sprint from which she was claimed by owner-trainer Steve Asmussen.

School Girl performed well in four straight second-level allowance-optional claimers after shipping here in the spring. She scored a Beyer Speed Figure of 83 on both May 15 and Aug. 19, but didn’t beat much in the August race, which was run over the 6 1/2-furlong distance of Thursday’s headliner.

Most recently, School Girl tracked a slow pace on the outside en route to running third behind Shukriya, who returned to finish a close third in the Ontario Fashion Stakes.

Patrick Husbands replaces the injured Jim McAleney on School Girl, who has worked three times leading up to this event.

Bedarra and Rebecca’s Song are also dropping from optional-claiming company.

Bedarra has competed strictly on the grass since her July 17 season opener. She defeated Rebecca’s Song when she captured a seven-furlong optional claimer with a career high 87 Beyer Figure on Aug. 2, but hasn’t shown much since then.

Eurico Da Silva will ride Bedarra, who possesses a solid synthetic track record.

Rebecca’s Song won her last Polytrack excursion in a minor allowance that was taken off the grass June 2. She was in good turf form before her last two starts, which were a pair of eighth-place finishes, in the Avowal Stakes and an optional event.

Justin Stein picks up the mount on Rebecca’s Song, who was also previously ridden by McAleney.

Madam Inspector figures to lead the way under Emile Ramsammy, who was aboard for her easy victory in a six-furlong dash at this level Aug. 26. She is exiting a narrow loss to Dancing Doris, who is also in the lineup.

Dancing Doris had been idle for nearly three months when she upset Madam Inspector in that $50,000 claimer, in which she mounted a wide rally over an inside-biased track to prevail with a 75 Beyer. She is an obvious bounce candidate.

Santa Baby is in the best form of her career, but is ambitiously spotted off a second for $32,000.