TORONTO, September 13, 2019—Lady Fatima and Quality Heat, both winners on the turf for conditioner Mark Casse, will be looking to add a new stakes to their trainer’s bulky portfolio when they contest Sunday’s first running of the Woodbine Cares. The Woodbine Cares, which offers a purse of $100,000, will be run over five furlongs on the inner turf course and attracted a field of one dozen two-year-old fillies. Lady Fatima debuted with a fourth-place finish over 4 ½ furlongs of dirt at Aqueduct and switched to turf for a neck graduation in a five-furlong Belmont dash. In a subsequent start, the daughter of Bodemeister failed to handle the muddy conditions in Saratoga’s Grade 3, six-furlong Schuylerviller. “I think this race is a good fit for her there,” said Casse. Quality Heat graduated at seven furlongs on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course. “We’re cutting her back; we want to try the five-eighths,” said Casse. “Both fillies are nice fillies but they’re not ready to run in the (Grade 1) Natalma. I like this race. I like having an alternative for some of these good fillies.” Tyler Gaffalione get the call on Quality Heat with Jerome Lermyte named on Lady Fatima. Quality Heat (#2), under Gary Boulanger, nosed out Natalma contender Saratoga Vision for her maiden-breaking score on August 10 at Woodbine Racetrack. (Michael Burns Photo) Trainer Wesley Ward will be sending up Miss Lucy and Foolish Humor from his Keeneland base. Miss Lucy started three times in England, winning her latest before being purchased privately by e Five Racing Thoroughbreds. “She was very impressive in her win,” said Ward. “She’s done everything right since she came here. We’re ready to go.” Foolish Humor, a winner first crack out over five furlongs of turf at Belmont, was a party in Ward’s annual pilgrimage to Royal Ascot and was prominent early before faltering over five furlongs of “soft” going in the Windsor Castle Stakes. Back in the U.S., the Kentucky-bred ended second as the favourite in Monmouth’s Colleen Stakes but was promoted to the top spot after suffering interference in that five-furlong turf test. “She’s pretty much done everything right, except for one little blemish in Ascot when it was pouring down rain,” said Ward. Irad Ortiz Jr. gets the call on Miss Lucy with John Velazquez regaining the mount on Foolish Humor. Ward was pleased to see the Woodbine Cares and it’s companion feature, the new Ontario Racing Stakes, pop up on the schedule. “That’s my game, five-eighths on the grass,” said Ward. “We tried to send the best five-eighthers we’ve got, both colt and filly.” The only other stakes winner in the Woodbine Cares is Fast Scene, who is based at Presque Isle with Timothy Hamm. The Kentucky-bred romped here in the My Dear over 5 1/2 furlongs of Tapeta but then faltered to finish fourth as the choice when returning for the Catch A Glimpse over 6 1/2 furlongs of “soft” main turf course. Bayerly Seen, coming off a dominating victory over five furlongs of grass at Indiana Grand, will represent the prominent stable of trainer Brad Cox in the Woodbine Cares. $100,000 Woodbine Cares Stakes Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer 1 – Laxmi – Justin Stein – Clint Abraham 2 – Quality Heat – Tyler Gaffalione – Mark Casse 3 – Bayerly Seen – Javier Castellano – Brad Cox 4 – My Doughnu – Arienne Cox – Wayne Rice 5 – Lady Fatima – Jerome Lermyte – Mark Casse 6 – Miss Lucy – Irad Ortiz Jr. – Wesley Ward 7 – Foolish Humor – John Velazquez – Wesley Ward 8 – Fast Scene – Rafael Hernandez – Timothy Hamm 9 – The Good Witch – Leo Salles – Al Patykewich 10 – Avie’s Samurai – Luis Conteras – Josie Carroll 11 – Egyptian Nights – Daisuke Fukumoto – John Ross 12 – Nite Brite – Arienne Cox – Wayne Rice Share This:Share
