Woodbine: Casse saddles strong pair in Clarendon

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse sends out the unbeaten Uncaptured and unraced Calgary Cat on Saturday at Woodbine in the $150,000 Clarendon Stakes, a five and a half-furlong dash for Ontario-bred 2-year-olds.

Uncaptured debuted May 13 under Patrick Husbands, in a four and a half-furlong maiden special, which he won by a nose over Ray’s Away, who came back to post an upset in the Victoria Stakes. His time of :51.96 translated into a 58 Beyer Figure.

Uncaptured, a $290,000 purchase by John Oxley, is a son of Lion Heart and Captivating, the dam of stakes winner Dancing Raven.

“He’s a beautiful horse,” said Casse. “We paid a fair amount of money for him as a yearling. I thought he ran really well. I wasn’t sure he could get up going four and a half, but he did. He’s trained really well since then.”

Casse won the 2011 Clarendon with first-time starter Making Amends, and Calgary Cat could make some noise after breaking from post 1.

“We like him a lot,” said Casse. “In fact, I don’t know if that’s going to be the case, but Patrick told me that he wants to ride him over Uncaptured.”

Calgary Cat is a flashy chestnut by freshman sire Cowtown Cat, who won the Grade 2 Illinois Derby and Grade 3 Gotham Stakes.

Click crushed Ontario-sired maidens with the aid of a speed bias when he debuted June 21. The 67 Beyer he earned is the highest in the Clarendon field.

“He’s a nice horse,” said trainer Ralph Biamonte. “He came out of that race feeling really good. I don’t like running back that quick, but the way he’s acting, I have to put him in. I hope I’m not making a mistake, but you’d never know that he ran.”

Jade Dragon and Millioninthemaking are also unbeaten in one start.

Jade Dragon earned a 58 Beyer when he rallied three-wide from third to capture an Ontario-sired maiden special comfortably June 3.

Millioninthemaking also defeated Ontario-sired maiden special stock going four and a half furlongs. He did so in front-running style May 21, when he earned a 46 Beyer.

The Saratoga-based Jocosity battled three-wide for the lead en route to running second when he debuted here June 10.

River Seven has worked encouragingly for his first race. The son of Johannesburg is the first foal from a turf stakes winner.

Impetuous Act is the first starter for freshman sire and Grade 2 stakes winner Harlington.