Witwatersrand hopes Tapeta gets her back on track in Ruling Angel Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Last year’s Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Witwatersrand will try to get back on the beam against five other 3-year-old fillies in Saturday’s $100,000 Ruling Angel Stakes going seven furlongs at Woodbine.

Victorious in the Grade 3 Mazarine in November, Witwatersrand started twice in Florida during the winter. She was a well-beaten sixth in the Grade 3 Forward Gal on Feb. 3 at Gulfstream and a trailing 11th in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks on March 9 at Tampa.

“I ran her on the dirt at Gulfstream, and she just didn’t handle it at all,” trainer Mark Casse said. “Then we tried her on the grass at Tampa, and it was mixed reviews. I am excited to get her back on the all-weather. I think that is the key. Having [Patrick Husbands] aboard isn’t going to hurt.”

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets.

Casse also is sending out C C Royal, who came off a blowout allowance score on the dirt at Laurel to finish fifth here April 27 in the Star Shoot Stakes on Tapeta.

“I was disappointed in her last effort,” Casse admitted. “I thought she would have run better, but she was very flat. There is a chance that she just isn’t as good on the all-weather, but we’ll know more after Saturday.”

Casse won the last two runnings of the Ruling Angel, in 2022 with Summertime Magic and last year with Ryder Ryder Ryder.

Sabatini looks like an up-and-comer in the division. She graduated in style in the six-furlong Star Shoot, after running down favorites Mystic Lake and Dancing Duchess in the stretch. She got an 87 Beyer Speed Figure in just her second career start, while giving the award-winning apprentice Sofia Vives her first stakes success.

“I could feel at the three-eighths pole I had a lot in the tank,” Vives said. “I just had to find an open spot. It was a perfect trip. She has a lot of heart.”

Sabatini, a $625,000 2-year-old purchase by elite sire Uncle Mo, was coming off a chalky third in a six-furlong maiden special over Turfway’s Tapeta.

“I loved her in her first race at Turfway,” trainer Josie Carroll recalled. “She ran up into some trouble there.”

Carroll also entered A Little Frisky, who earned her diploma second time out in a stakes. The daughter of Army Mule has been idle since taking the seven-furlong Glorious Song Stakes over Mystic Lake and Witwatersrand here Oct. 15.

Rosa ran fourth off a winter break in the Star Shoot, a race she seemingly needed, and this will be her first start with Lasix. Trained by Kevin Attard, the highlight of her juvenile campaign was a victory in the Presque Isle Debutante in September.

Completing the field is Do It Divi, who won on debut in a six-furlong maiden special at Turfway in March for trainer Jonathan Thomas.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.