Casse’s trio take aim at Grade 3 Royal North triumph

TORONTO, June 25, 2026 – Mark Casse trainees Bessie Abott (IRE), Shifty and Without Cause all head into Saturday’s $150,000 HPIbet Royal North Stakes (G3T) in winning form.

Set for 7 ½ furlongs on the Woodbine inner turf, the Royal North has drawn 11 starters and one also-eligible in the race for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up.

Sired by Kuroshio out of the Invincible Spirit mare Supreme Spirit, Bessie Abott (IRE) brings a two-race win streak into her first start of the year and first stakes test at the Toronto oval.

A runner-up in the 2025 edition of the Wonder Again (G3) at Saratoga, the bay filly won a 7-furlong main track race originally slated for the turf on Oct. 23 at Woodbine. She followed it up with a nose score over the same distance and same surface on Nov. 29.

“She has had time off over the winter, so she is fresh and we think she is ready,” said assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan. “We thought she was very, very impressive last year. Both efforts were strong and she showed a great deal of determination in each race.”

Owned by Gary Barber and Team Valor International LLC, the 4-year-old sports a mark of 3-3-0 from eight starts, along with $178,018 in purse earnings.

“She isn’t a very big filly, but that may play to her strength running on the inner turf,” said Sullivan. “She is definitely one who goes out and gives you an honest effort and that’s what we are anticipating on Saturday.”

A half-sister to stakes winner Spirit and Glory (IRE), Bessie Abott (IRE) was bred by Dr. Noel Cogan and Patrick Williams.

Errol Farquharson is the groom.

Shifty sports a 4-3-4 mark ($385,638 in career purse earnings) from 14 engagements.

She has finished in the top three over her past nine engagements, going 3-3-3 during that time. She heads into the Royal North off a pair of victories, both on the main track, one at 6 ½ furlongs on Apr. 25, the other at 6 panels on May 31, winning by a combined 7 ¾ lengths.

“She is just so consistent,” said Sullivan of the 4-year-old. “Every time she goes out there, you know exactly what to expect. She just gives that 100 per cent effort you look for. We couldn’t be happier with her.

“Both wins were extremely impressive. If you had to pick one that stood out more – that’s a tough call – but maybe the most recent one, where she just did it so easily. She continued to open up, which was so nice to watch.”

Owned by D.J. Stable LLC, the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro out of the Elusive Quality mare Elusive Luci debuted over the E.P. Taylor turf on July 4, 2024, and showed late energy after a slow start to finish fifth in a field of seven. One race later, on Aug. 23, she took all the spoils via a 3 ¼-length score in the Catch A Glimpse.

After winning her 3-year-old debut on May 11, 2025, Shifty was third, one month later, in the seven-furlong Fury Stakes, for 3-year-old fillies foaled in Canada. She finished second in both the 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks and the 1 1/16-mile Bison City Stakes. She then switched to the grass in the final Canadian Triple Tiara race, the 1 1/16-mile Wonder Where, where she was third over the inner turf.

Bred by Anderson Farms Ontario Inc., Shifty sold for $350,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.

Wayne Grant is the groom.

Without Cause, a 5-year-old daughter of Omaha Beach out of the Tiznow mare Withhold, will make her third appearance at Woodbine for Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC and T-N-T Equine Holdings LLC.

Last year, the bay mare raced twice on the E.P. Taylor turf, winning at 6 furlongs on June 7, and finishing second, a head back of the winner, at the same distance on July 19.

After a sixth to kick off her 2026 campaign in the 5-furlong Ladies’ Turf Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream on Feb. 7, Without Cause rebounded with a gritty neck victory at 6 furlongs over the Belmont outer turf on May 17. ​ ​

“She is a beautiful filly, lovely in every sense,” praised Sullivan. “She worked hard to get the win last time out and it showed exactly what she is all about.”

Fashioning a mark of 3-2-2 from 12 starts, accompanied by $171,739 in purse earnings, Without Cause was bred in Kentucky by Stoneway Farm.

She was a $180,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale.

Errol Farquharson is the groom.

The Casse trio will line up beside one another in the starting gate, with Bessie Abott (IRE) in gate three, Shifty in four and Without Cause in five.

Recent works: Bessie Abott (IRE) covered 5 furlongs in 1:00.20 over the main track on June 17.

“That was a really, really nice work,” said Sullivan. “She worked with Classic Move, who is running the Selene on Saturday. “We were all very impressed by that work. She galloped out strongly, too.”

On June 20, Shifty breezed 4 furlongs in :48.40 over the main track.

“She worked by herself and it was a good work,” said Sullivan. “It was just a nice maintenance work, exactly what we were looking for heading into this race. She always does things so professionally and takes on anything you ask of her.” ​

Without Cause breezed 4 furlongs in a bullet :46.60 over the main track on June 17.

“She went on her own,” said Sullivan. “She did it well, too. She had worked at Belmont, over the dirt training track, prior to this work. We were happy with it and we’re happy with how she is coming into the race.”

Fast Facts: Blushing Katy, under Gunnar Lindberg, won the inaugural running in 1989.

The race is named after the daughter of Reviewer out of the Titan mare Repercussion. Over 18 races, Royal North, trained by Gil Rowntree and bred by Marvin L. Warner, went 14-3-1. She won seven straight races from August 27, 1978, to May 20, 1979.

Wagering menu for the Royal North: Includes Rolling Double / Exacta / 0.20 Trifecta / 0.20 Superfecta / $1 Swinger.

Field for the $150,000 Royal North (G3T)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Equitas – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mike De Paulo

2 – Fantastical – Jose Campos – Joe Sharp

3 – Bessie Abott (IRE) – Fraser Aebly – Mark Casse

4 – Shifty – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

5 – Without Cause – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse

6 – Ribaltagaia – Romero Ramsay Maragh – Graham Motion

7 – Pondering – Declan Cannon – Brendan Walsh

8 – Reagan’s Flame (S) – Rasheed Hughes – Saffie Joseph, Jr.

9 – Ozara (IRE) – Pietro Moran – Miguel Clement

10 – Scat Girl – Leo Salles – Mike De Paulo

11 – Uphill Dance – Ryan Munger – Rachel Halden

AE 12 – Quadruple (GB) – Kazushi Kimura – Josie Carroll

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Chris Lomon, Woodbine