Casse stakes fillies headline Mazarine

​TORONTO, October 4 – Representing Woodbine’s meet-leading Mark Casse stable, Wonder Gadot and Shamrock Rose headline a field of five two-year-old fillies set to contest the $125,000 Mazarine Stakes (Grade 3) on Saturday, Oct. 7 at Woodbine Racetrack.

Gary Barber’s starlet Wonder Gadot heads to the 1-1/16 mile event off a close third-place finish behind Dixie Moon and winner Capla Tempress in the Natalma (Grade 1) on September 17 over one-mile on Woodbine’s E.P. Taylor Turf Course.
 
“She ran into a pretty impressive horse in that race – the winner looks like to be a pretty special horse – but I thought she ran well and we’re just looking to improve on that start,” said Kathryn Sullivan, assistant trainer for the Casse stable.
 
Prior to the Natalma, Wonder Gadot won her career debut on August 26, going seven furlongs on the turf. While the Mazarine will be her first start on the Tapeta track, the Medagalia d’Oro-Loving Vindication filly is familiar with the surface.
 
“She trains on it every day, she works on it, I don’t think there will be any issues there,” noted Sullivan.
 
Conrad Farms’ Shamrock Rose was victorious at first asking in the Ontario Debutante on September 9, winning the six furlong stakes event over the Woodbine main.
 
“She was very impressive her first time out,” said Sullivan. “We thought she would run well, but we’re obviously very pleased with her performance in that race. We’re just looking for a similar performance in this one. Obviously, she’s moving up into a lot tougher company, but she’s been doing really well so we’re pretty pleased with her. She’s very fit and I don’t think going longer is going to be any problem for her at all.”
 
Patrick Husbands retains the mount on Wonder Gadot while Eurico Rosa Da Silva will be back aboard Shamrock Rose for the Mazarine.
 
The field also includes Ivan Delos’ Avie’s Mineshaft, who was victorious on September 16 for trainer Josie Carroll following a runner-up finish to Dixie Moon in her August career debut. The Gail Cox trainee Ladies Night and New York shipper Oldfashioned Style for trainer Gary Contessa are also contenders.
 
“I guess having two of five does up your odds, but sometimes those small fields can be races that don’t go according to plan somehow,” said Sullivan. “We’re pretty confident with our horses going in. They’re both doing really well and we’re happy with where they’re at so we’ll just hope for a good race.”
 
Post time for Saturday’s 11-race program is 1 p.m., with the Mazarine Stakes scheduled as race eight.
 
$125,000 Mazarine Stakes (Grade 3)
Post Position – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1. Shamrock Rose – Eurico Rose Da Silva – Mark Casse
2. Oldfashioned Style – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Gary Contessa
3. Wonder Gadot – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
4. Avie’s Mineshaft – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll
5. Ladies Night – Gary Boulanger – Gail Cox