Woodbine: Lexie Lou, Paladin Bay continue rivalry in Ontario Lassie

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Lexie Lou and Paladin Bay will meet for the fourth time Saturday at Woodbine in the $150,000 Ontario Lassie Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile event for Ontario-breds. Both daughters of Sligo Bay are potential Sovereign Award finalists for this year’s Canadian champion 2-year-old filly.

Lexie Lou has won two stakes, including the $200,000 Muskoka by disqualification Aug. 28, in which Paladin Bay wound up third. Paladin Bay turned the tables in the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth on Nov. 2, when she rallied wide to wear down the front-running Lexie Lou and win that 1 1/16-mile route with an 84 Beyer Speed Figure.

Lexie Lou left Paladin Bay back in second when she led throughout the Nov. 24 South Ocean for Ontario-sired stock going 1 1/16 miles. Owner/trainer John Ross said the plan wasn’t necessarily for her to be on the lead then. It was a position which she simply inherited under Gary Boulanger.

“Gary was looking to the side as everybody took a hold,” Ross said. “He had an inside post, and snuck right up there to open up two or three, and said ‘Come and get me.’ I thought it was a smart more, and it worked out very well.”

Ross loved Lexie Lou’s five-furlong breeze in 1:00.60 on Dec. 5, which was the fastest of 15 works at the distance.

“It was probably her most impressive work of the year,” Ross said. “She galloped out three-quarters in 1:13 and change. Boulanger was on her, and just couldn’t say enough nice things. That encouraged me to go forward, because the last thing you want to do is push a 2-year-old. She’s every bit as good, or even better than she was going into her last race.”

Paladin Bay has worked five-eighths twice leading up to the Lassie, which was one more work than she had heading into the South Ocean. Trainer Harold Ladouceur said she’s on her game.

“She’s been feeling good,” Ladouceur said. “With a good horse, you’ve got to let them do something, or they could hurt themselves. I upped it a notch, to make sure we’re ready. Last time, we breezed once.

“Yeah, she was ready, but I don’t know if it was enough. [Lexie Lou] ran away with it,” he added. “It’s not going to be easy, but I feel quite confident. We don’t really want to change her running style too much, because I think we have a nice horse for next year’s [Woodbine] Oaks.”