Tito's Causeway looks to rebound in Bison City Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Tito’s Calling will try to rebound off a poor showing in the Woodbine Oaks in Sunday’s second leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, the $250,000 Bison City Stakes.

Trained by Mike DePaulo, Tito’s Calling won an Ontario-sired allowance sprint in her May 5 season opener before ending up fourth in the seven-furlong Fury Stakes. When moving out to 1 1/16 miles on July 1, she earned a career-high 81 Beyer Speed Figure when third in the Grade 3 Selene.

Tito’s Calling raced in fifth early in the 1 1/8-mile Oaks before fading to finish a well-beaten 10th under Luis Contreras.

“In most of her races, she comes from off it,” DePaulo said. “He stayed a little closer and then she didn’t finish. But who knows – she might have bounced a little, too. She ran a good race in the Selene, so that might have knocked her back a little.”

DePaulo said the three-week gap between the Oaks on July 23 and the Bison City is closer than he would have preferred.

“It’s not ideal, but she worked five-eighths in 1:01 and change last Sunday, just breezing,” DePaulo pointed out. “It is what it is. It would be nice if the races were spread out a little farther.”

Sahin Civaci picks up the mount on Tito’s Calling, a daughter of Society’s Chairman owned by Zilli Racing Stables.

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The 1 1/16-mile Tapeta route for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies attracted eight others, including Oaks protagonists Fortyfiveseventy and Me and My Shadow.

Fortyfiveseventy was a distant fourth in the Selene and had a ground-saving trip until the quarter pole before closing outside for third in the Oaks. Ryan Munger retains the mount for owner/trainer Barbara Minshall.

Me and My Shadow had a wide trip from post 14 under Emma-Jayne Wilson in the Oaks and ultimately finished fourth. Her trainer, Mark Casse, has won the Bison City five times.

Elysian Field and Wickenheiser, the top two finishers in the Oaks, both bypassed the Bison City in favor of next Sunday’s $1 million King’s Plate.

Bedazzle Me and Seattle Causeway are both making their stakes debut.

Bedazzle Me has been competitive in Ontario-sired allowance company since graduating over seven furlongs in her May 5 seasonal bow.

“She is a very consistent horse,” trainer Anthony Pottinger said. “I like the way she tries every time. That’s the way she has always been. I feel confident coming into this race. She is doing very well. I like the distance of this race for her.”

Seattle Causeway beat older $25,000 conditioned claimers on the grass in her latest before getting disqualified to third for interference in the stretch. She’s competing off the claim by trainer John LeBlanc Jr., who worked her five-eighths in 1:00 and change twice in recent weeks.

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