Simply Lovely out to make amends

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Simply Lovely will try to avenge her recent loss in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes in Sunday's $165,900 Fanfreluche Stakes, a six-furlong dash for Canadian-bred 2-year-old fillies.

Simply Lovely, a contender for this year's Sovereign Award as the champion of her division, graduated second-time out in the seven-furlong Muskoka Stakes in September. She went on to win another restricted stakes, the six-furlong Victorian Queen, by 7 1/2 lengths, with a 74 Beyer Speed Figure.

Simply Lovely was the 4-5 favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth, where she battled up front along the inside before fading to fourth. Trainer Bob Tiller blamed the tiring track, and not the distance, for her subpar effort in that $250,000 event for Canadian-breds.

"I don't think you could have had worse conditions for her to go a mile and a sixteenth," Tiller said. "The track was deeper than a beach in Aruba; the wind was blowing in the wrong direction, and she was hounded all the way. She may never want to go that far, either."

Tiller said he is also considering Wednesday's South Ocean Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile race for Ontario-sired fillies, for Simply Lovely.

"I think the South Ocean is going to be an easier race, and she'd definitely have a chance in there," Tiller said. "It's a tough decision for us. I'm not convinced yet that she won't go long."

Susur was a front-running second going five furlongs in her Oct. 23 debut, earning a 66 Beyer in that maiden special. Trainer Reade Baker said he expected a strong showing Sunday from Susur, who is out of a mare he trained, Twochindordor.

"I think she's a quality filly," Baker said. "She reminds me a lot of her mother, and she's a half-sister to a minor stakes winner, Callendars. We rushed her a bit to go five-eighths, and we're cramming a little bit to go three-quarters, but I think she'll run well here. She's doing super."

* Le Cinquieme Essai, the 2002 Canadian champion 3-year-old, should be a formidable opponent in Sunday's supporting feature, the $106,000 Labeeb Stakes, scheduled for a mile on the grass.

Le Cinquieme Essai has had a productive campaign for trainer Paul Nielsen, hitting the board in each of his five outings. He dueled favored Wando into submission on the front end in a gutsy victory in a one-mile allowance on the grass Oct. 11.

"He's matured really well this year," said Nielsen. "He's so much better physically - he's bigger and stronger."