Champs Meet Again in Nassau
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Photo: Michael Burns
Lexie Lou winning the 2014 Woodbine Oaks
Lexie Lou, Canada's Horse of the Year in 2014, and Strut the Course, that year's champion older female, met in an allowance optional claimer over Woodbine's Tapeta April 30 with Strut the Course a decisive winner. They'll meet again with a lot more on the line May 29 in the $200,000 Nassau Stakes (Can-IIT) at a mile.
They won't be alone as eight other older fillies and mares have passed the entry box.
Lexie Lou, 5, is one of three in the field trained by Mark Casse. Following a lengthy layoff and an eye injury, she returned this winter at Tampa Bay Downs but had the misfortune of catching champion Tepin in the grade III Endeavour Stakes. Lexie Lou went to the lead in the allowance race in April before tiring to finish third behind Strut the Course and Nassau entry Moon Rainbow.
John Unger's Strut the Course is 3-2-0 in seven Woodbine turf outings, and was a close fourth, beaten two lengths, in last year's E.P. Taylor Stakes (Can-IT) at 10 furlongs.
New York-based trainer Christophe Clement has an interesting entry in Tango Uniform Racing, The Elkstone Group, and Highclere America's Stormy Victoria. The 4-year-old filly won her U.S. debut April 29 on the turf going seven furlongs at Belmont Park following an eight-race career in her native France.
Nassau S. (gr. IIT)
Woodbine, Sunday, May 29, 2016, Race 8
- 1m
- Turf
- $200,000
- 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
- 4:51 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Mississippi Delta (KY) | Jermaine V. Bridgmohan | 118 | Mark E. Casse | 4/1 |
| 2 | 2Uchenna (IRE) | Patrick Husbands | 120 | Mark E. Casse | 20/1 |
| 3 | 3Dyna's Recoleta (ON) | Emma-Jayne Wilson | 116 | Roger L. Attfield | 20/1 |
| 4 | 4Stormy Victoria (FR) | Alan Garcia | 116 | Christophe Clement | 7/2 |
| 5 | 5Academic (ON) | Jesse M. Campbell | 120 | Reade Baker | 10/1 |
| 6 | 6Lexie Lou (ON) | Patrick Husbands | 116 | Mark E. Casse | 8/1 |
| 7 | 7Fuscetta (GER) | David Moran | 116 | Roger L. Attfield | 20/1 |
| 8 | 8Moon Rainbow (ON) | Eurico Rosa Da Silva | 116 | Malcolm Pierce | 6/1 |
| 9 | 9London Tower (ON) | Gary Boulanger | 118 | Steve Owens | 15/1 |
| 10 | 10Strut the Course (ON) | Luis Contreras | 122 | Barbara J. Minshall | 2/1 |