Natalma Features Mark Casse-Trained Trio

While Golconda Stables' undefeated filly March X Press, who won the Bolton Landing Stakes at Saratoga Race Course last time out for trainer Todd Pletcher, is the only stakes winner in the field of nine for the $250,000 Natalma Stakes (G1T) Sept. 17, trainer Mark Casse comes with a loaded hand.

One of three Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" one-mile turf events this weekend at Woodbine, the Natalma will feature Wonder Gadot, one of three 2-year-old fillies co-starring in the race from the Casse barn.

Owned by film production company executive Gary Barber, Wonder Gadot is named for the summer blockbuster Wonder Woman and leading lady Gal Gadot.

Bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms, the Medaglia d'Oro  filly, out of Loving Vindication, is a full sister to Solemn Tribute, last year's King Edward Stakes (G2T) runner-up at Woodbine.

"We bought her in April at the (Ocala Breeders’ Sale spring sale of 2-year-olds in training), and right from the beginning she showed she was special," said Casse, who initially sent the $325,000 purchase to Saratoga, but opted to get a prep race into her over the Woodbine surface leading up to the Natalma Stakes. "When we sent her up there, I told our main assistant David Adams, 'We're sending you something special.' She was training really well."

Wonder Gadot showed star power right out of the gate. She won her debut—a seven-furlong Woodbine turf allowance against another maiden and five winners—by four lengths Aug. 26, with stablemate and fellow Natalma Stakes contender Mo Big Cat behind in second.

"Obviously we enjoyed the 1-2 finish," Casse said. "I thought (Wonder Gadot) ran well, and really the most impressive part to her race may have been after the race. She took off after the race and galloped out about an eighth of a mile in front of everybody, so I feel like the farther the better."

Mo Big Cat, also owned by Barber, was a 2016 Keeneland September yearling purchase for $140,000 and has already banked $60,927 in her first four starts, including a maiden-breaking victory over six furlongs on the Woodbine turf, and a third-place finish in the Shady Well Stakes in July.

"She's done well," Casse said of the Uncle Mo  filly. "She, too, seems to want to go farther. I thought she got in a little trouble in the prep and could have maybe been a little closer. She's a nice filly, but I'm not positive she's in the same category as the other filly."

Casse also campaigns Natalma contender Pretty Lady, a daughter of Scat Daddy out of Classic Strike that was purchased at the 2-year-old Fasig-Tipton select Florida sale for $550,000 by Easy Breeze. She is a full sibling to millionaire graded stakes winner Handsome Mike  and a half sister to grade 1 stakes winner Union Strike.

"Pretty Lady is a filly that we're excited about," Casse said. "She's a filly that we also had at Saratoga and I thought she reminded me a lot of Catch a Glimpse."

In preparation for the Natalma, Casse also sent Pretty Lady to Woodbine for her debut, where she finished second over six furlongs on the turf Aug. 27 against a field of colts after the filly division overfilled.

"I thought she ran really well," Casse said of her runner-up finish to this weekend's Summer Stakes starter Count Alexander. "She's a filly that we believe is going to improve in her second start and I think if she does that, she's going to run well."

The Natalma field also includes Irish-bred Capla Temptress who will make her first North American start in the Natalma; Golden Orb, a half sister to two-time graded stakes winner Finley'sluckycharm; and recent winners Delamar, Dixie Moon, and Dooder.

Entries: Natalma S. (G1T)

Woodbine, Sunday, September 17, 2017, Race 9

• Grade IT
• 1m
• Turf
• $250,000
• 2 yo Fillies
• 5:24 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Dooder (NY)	John R. Velazquez	121	Chad C. Brown	6/1
2	2Mo Big Cat (ON)	Jesse M. Campbell	121	Mark E. Casse	20/1
3	3March X Press (NY)	Jose L. Ortiz	121	Todd A. Pletcher	5/2
4	4Delamar (KY)	Jerome Lermyte	121	Roger L. Attfield	20/1
5	5Pretty Lady (KY)	Gary Boulanger	121	Mark E. Casse	12/1
6	6Golden Orb (KY)	Luis Contreras	121	Christophe Clement	7/2
7	7Capla Temptress (IRE)	Joel Rosario	121	Marco Botti	8/1
8	8Wonder Gadot (ON)	Patrick Husbands	121	Mark E. Casse	3/1
9	9Dixie Moon (ON)	Eurico Rosa Da Silva	121	Catherine Day Phillips	8/1