Tackling Stress in stakes after rout

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Tackling Stress and Rights Reserved, both residents of Barn 10 at Woodbine, will clash in Sunday's $133,625 Colin Stakes, a six-furlong dash for 2-year-olds.

Tackling Stress, a Kentucky-bred by Navarone, blew away a weak field of maiden special weight runners with Constant Montpellier aboard in his lone start, on June 23. His five-furlong time of 59 seconds was good for a Beyer Speed Figure of 67.

Trainer Dave Cotey, who bought Tackling Stress for $6,500 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale, said the colt impressed him immediately after he began sending him out for two-minute-mile gallops.

"Even when we were two-minute-licking him, nobody could stay with him," Cotey recalled. "He began to work good, and then ran a pretty nice race. Constant said he had lots of horse left that day."

Tackling Stress breezed five-eighths over the main track in 1:02.40 on July 8, much to his trainer's satisfaction.

"He did it effortlessly," the Cotey said. "I thought this race was going to come up a little light, and I didn't want to risk him bucking a shin by working him too fast. He came out of it great. He's fit and in good order."

Rights Reserved is a promising maiden trained by Gail Casselman, who won last Wednesday's feature race with Leading Roll.

Rights Reserved was a well-beaten third when he debuted on May 26. Three weeks later, he finished second in a quick maiden special won by Goldies Legacy, possibly the best 2-year-old seen at Woodbine this year. He got a Beyer Figure of 71 last time, the highest in the Colin lineup.

"He was very bad in the gate for his first race," Casselman noted. "They had to put ear tongs on him, and it killed his chances, because it really upset him, and he broke poorly. We schooled him a lot after that, and he was perfect for his second start. He broke great, and was beaten by a horse who I think is pretty special."

Casselman purchased Rights Reserved, a son of With Approval, for $14,000 from the Keeneland October Yearling Sale.

"I've always like him a lot," Casselman said. "He's shown considerable speed for a With Approval. We gelded him because he got to be quite a handful around the barn."

Skeet, also a maiden, is another contender in the five-horse field. Trained by Mark Casse, Skeet comes off a second-place finish in the Victoria Stakes.

- Devastating and Mysterious Affair head Sunday's supporting feature, the $105,000 Kamar Stakes, for Canadian-bred fillies and mares.

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