Breeder’s Cup CAN
By STEVE BUFFERY
Slim Pickens was a Hollywood character actor and the theme, unfortunately, for this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup when it comes to Canadian content.
Woodbine’s top two trainers, Mark Casse and Kevin Attard, will both have horses running at the world championship of thoroughbred horse racing on Friday and Saturday at Keeneland. But none of their entries are Canadian-bred.
The Mark Casse-trained, two-year-old, Ontario-bred colt Canada unfortunately did not draw into the Breeders’ Cup, but Casse has entered the Cup & Saucer Stakes winner in Friday’s $250,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes, a race for juveniles over one mile on the turf at Keeneland.
Casse, Woodbine’s leading conditioner, has numerous entries in this year’s Breeders’ Cup including his star four-year-old filly Nitrogen, who is the 6-5 morning line favorite for Saturday’s $2 million BC Distaff. Owned and bred in Kentucky by DJ Stable LLC, Nitrogen finished second in the Distaff last season to Scylla, but has won the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Saratoga, the Grade 2 Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park and the Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn Park this year. Nitrogen (Medaglia D’Oro-Tiffany Case) also finished second in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga.
Casse was hoping his five-year-old gelding My Boy Prince would draw into the BC Turf Sprint, but that didn’t happen. My Boy Prince, an Ontario-bred owned by Gary Barber, won the Grade 2 Valvoline Global Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland on April 4 but has struggled in his last two starts.
Attard, who is having another tremendous year at Woodbine, had to scratch his Kentucky-bred filly Go for Launch from Friday’s BC Juvenile Fillies Turf because of an injury.
“She’s doing well. I’m looking forward to having her back in the barn next season,” said Attard. “It’s unfortunate for everyone involved with her. We were really excited about her chances and were really looking forward to seeing her compete on Friday.”
Go for Launch finished second in the Algonquin Stakes on Oct. 3 in her last race, behind Mrs D, who is trained by Attard’s cousin Steve Chircop. Both horses were pre-entries into the Breeders’ Cup though Mrs D wasn’t selected. Mrs D will run in Sunday’s grade 3 Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine.
“Obviously I wasn’t happy (not getting into the BC),” said Chircop. “But I try to let things go that are out of my control. But if she wins the Mazarine, I won’t feel so bad.”
The Mazarine, for two-year-old fillies, is contested over 1 1/16th miles on the main track.
The good news is, Attard’s Kentucky-bred filly De La Renta is doing well heading into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Owned by X-Men Racing VI LLC and Madaket Stables LLC and bred by Nancy Dillman, De la Renta has two wins and a second in three starts this year, including a score in the Soaring Free Stakes on Aug.15 at Woodbine.
“She’s settled in well. We’re very happy with her,” he said.
Also on tap at Woodbine, along with the Mazarine Stakes, on Sunday is the $175,000 bet365 Grade 3 Grey Stakes for two-year-olds over 1 1/16th miles.
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