Win the War returns from injury in Duchess Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The promising Win the War returns from a layoff in Saturday’s $100,000 Duchess, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies that is one of three stakes on the 11-race Woodbine program.

Despite lugging in through the stretch, Win the War prevailed at first asking after a wide trip in a maiden special turf sprint in October. She subsequently romped in the seven-furlong Glorious Song Stakes, getting a big 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

Win the War has been sidelined since her only loss, a third behind the brilliant Midnight Bisou in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Jan. 7 at Santa Anita. Trainer Mark Casse said she had an excuse that day.

“I wondered late in the race,” Casse said. “She kind of had her head up in the air and didn’t finish as well as I thought she would. She hurt her ankle, and it required surgery.”

Win the War has been working fast here on the Tapeta, including five-eighths from the gate in a bullet 1:00 on July 19.

“She’s been training really well,” Casse said. “We’re really excited to get her started.”

KEY CONTENDERS

Win the War, by War Front
Beyers: 81-93-61

◗ She is reminiscent of another talented Casse comebacker at the meet, Road to Victory, who won the June 9 Alywow Stakes impressively.

Love to Learn, by Take Charge Indy
Last 3 Beyers: 81-80-52

◗ She has run two solid races here since joining the hot Sid Attard barn. After dusting maidens on the Tapeta on June 1, she dropped a neck decision to the older Dea in a seven-furlong allowance on the grass.

Flaming Page, Victoriana stakes

Saturday’s card also has two turf stakes for females: the $100,000 Flaming Page, an overnight marathon, and the $100,000 Victoriana, an Ontario-sired route that was part of Monday’s card, which was canceled due to inclement weather.

Two of the eight entrants in the Flaming Page have won over the 12-furlong distance of this event, including Creative Thinking, who took the Keertana Stakes at Churchill in May. She could only manage a fifth as the favorite last time out in a Grade 3 fixture at Delaware for trainer Tom Proctor.

The Mike Maker-trained Daring Duchess won the 2017 Keertana in front-running style and finished second in that race this year in her penultimate outing.

The Graham Motion-trained Lottie could go favored off a second to Holy Helena in the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay at Belmont.

The 1 1/16-mile Victoriana looks like a showdown between Silent Sonet and Niigon’s Eclipse, who ran one-two in the July 1 Zadracarta Stakes. Niigon’s Eclipse won last year’s Victoriana.