Solid Appeal repeats in Nassau

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After settling off the pace with a ground-saving trip, Solid Appeal came with a strong run down the center of the turf course to capture the Grade 2, $213,600 Nassau Stakes for the second consecutive year Sunday.

Jockey Jesse Campbell had Solid Appeal closer to the pace than trainer Reade Baker expected, but Baker noted that the pace was fast.

“I thought Jesse rode her great,” he said. “She loves the Woodbine turf course.”

Solid Appeal, a 2013 Sovereign Award winner as Canada’s female turf champion, had the winter off at Margaux Farm in Lexington, Ky., and finished fifth in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare Stakes on Polytrack at Keeneland in her only previous race this year.

“It worked out perfect,” Baker said. “They give them the Margaux magic down there in the wintertime. We brought her to Keeneland and ran her there once, and it set her up perfect for today.”

Solid Appeal will have the chance to defend another Woodbine stakes title in her next start, as she’ll be pointed to the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf July 6.

Spring in the Air back on track

A belated rally left Spring in the Air second-best in the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes here April 27, but she closed widest and strongest of all in the Grade 3, $177,000 Hendrie Stakes on Saturday to win for the first time since last season’s Fury Stakes.

“She seems to be back to herself and getting better, so we’re excited about that,” said trainer Mark Casse.

Casse said he was concerned about the 6 1/2-furlong distance of the Hendrie being a little short for Spring in the Air, but the Ontario-bred daughter of Spring at Last has now won three of her four sprint starts.

“I wasn’t sure she would get up, but there was a fair amount of speed,” he said. “She was back a little ways, but she came running. I’m really not sure what her best distance is, but it’s probably a mile and a sixteenth.”

Casse said he’ll be looking to stretch out Spring in the Air for her next start but didn’t have a specific race in mind.

DQ win for Conquest Top Gun

While Asserting Bear crossed the line first, Conquest Top Gun was awarded the victory in Sunday’s $140,000 Marine Stakes after Asserting Bear was placed third for interfering with Ami’s Holiday in the stretch.

Conquest Top Gun, ridden by Eurico Rosa Da Silva, and Asserting Bear dueled on the front end throughout the 1 1/16-mile route on Polytrack, an early pace scenario that was not part of the plan for Conquest Top Gun.

“We didn’t want to be on the lead,” trainer Casse said. “The biggest thing with him is getting him into his stride, and Eurico let him do that, and he kind of took off.”

The Marine was the first stakes victory for Conquest Top Gun, who had won his maiden over the Polytrack at Keeneland in his previous start.

The Marine served as a Queen’s Plate prep for several top contenders, including Asserting Bear, whose effort left trainer Baker in positive spirits despite the disqualification. Asserting Bear had finished fourth in the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on March 22, then came back three weeks later and ran eighth in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

“I thought Asserting Bear’s race was super,” he said. “He got a little knocked out going from Turfway back to the Blue Grass right away. I was a little nervous how he would respond to that, but he responded great and ran great. I didn’t think he should have come down, but I couldn’t be any happier.”

Asserting Bear will now be trained up to the Queen’s Plate on July 6, while Baker is planning to run his other Plate prospect, Man o’ Bear, in the Plate Trial Stakes on June 15.

Conquest Top Gun, meanwhile, will be pointed to the Victoria Park Stakes, an open 3-year-old stakes over 1 1/8 miles on Polytrack on June 22.