Defending champ Gal in a Rush, Casse trio vie for top prize in Grade 3 Hendrie

TORONTO, July 2, 2025 – Gal in a Rush, who earned her first stakes score in last year’s Hendrie Stakes (G3), is back to defend her title, Saturday at Woodbine.

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Chris Larsen, and Titletown Racing Stables, Gal in a Rush, the 6-year-old daughter of out of the Dynaformer mare Hudson River Gal will take on seven rivals in the $150,000 6 ½-furlong main track sprint for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up.

After trailing some six lengths off the lead on the turn in last year’s race, the bay mare mounted a wide rally to win by 1 ¼ lengths in 1:15.54.

“She is very versatile,” said trainer Miguel Clement. “She has an affinity for Canada and the stable has always had a lot of success in Canada. (Woodbine trainer) Gail Cox has been an absolute superstar and done such a wonderful job with our horses when they race at Woodbine.”

The Hendrie will mark the seventh time Gal in a Rush has competed at Woodbine.

She is 1-3-0 in six appearances at the Toronto oval, including runner-up efforts in the 2022 Alywow, 2024 Seaway (G3) and this year’s Whimsical (G3) on May 3.

The bay mare, who is 4-7-3 from 21 career starts, along with $469,052 in purse earnings, heads into her latest engagement off a fourth in the Royal North (G3T) at Woodbine, on May 31.

“She ran well,” said Clement. “If you are a pessimist, it’s tough that she didn’t get the job done, if you are an optimist, she was beaten just over a length for all of it. She’s a very gutsy, game filly. She tries hard and she finishes well. The only question is if she will get there on time or not. We know she will run well – that’s a given. She has a great turn of foot.”

Bred in Kentucky by Tom and Mary Lou Teal, and Adena Springs, Gal in a Rush finished sixth in her career bow at Saratoga on July 25, 2021. One race later, she broke her maiden courtesy of a 3 ¼-length triumph over one mile on the Belmont turf.

Gal in a Rush was a $375,000 purchase at the 2021 OBS Company March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training.

Other starters include the Mark Casse-trained trio of Ticker Tape Home, Creed’s Gold and Run for the Hills.

A daughter of Medaglia d’Oro out of the War Front mare Journey Home, Ticker Tape Home will make the third start of her 5-year-old campaign in the Hendrie. She was third, just one-length behind winner Ms. Tart, in the Royal North (G3T) on May 31, and fifth in the Whimsical (G3) on May 3.

“She is a very popular filly around the barn,” said assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan, of the Live Oak Plantation miss. “She ran a terrific race last time. She always tries, so to see her make a big move and keep fighting to the wire was no surprise at all. That’s what she is all about.”

Ticker Tape home debuted on July 2, 2022, at Woodbine. Sent on her way as the 2-1 choice in the six-furlong sprint over the E.P. Taylor turf, she took the lead past the three-sixteenths, and finished second, a half-length behind the winner.

After an eighth and fifth, respectively, in her next two starts, Ticker Tape Home earned her milestone win over seven panels on the turf.

Five-wide turning for home, she then took command and went on to a 9 ¾-length triumph in a time of 1:22.61 over firm ground.

Ticker Tape Home earned her first stakes crown in the 2023 Fury, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies foaled in Canada. Last August, the dark bay recorded her first graded stakes victory when she won by a neck in the seven-furlong Seaway (G3).

“She’s well-versed in running at Woodbine,” noted Sullivan. “She does very well here, so we are looking forward to her building off her last start and carrying that great form into this race.”

Bred in Ontario by Sam-Son Farm, Ticker Tape Home has compiled a 4-2-1 mark from 18 career starts, accompanied by $290,924 in purse earnings. She was purchased for $625,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale.

Jonny Bottoni is the groom.

Creed’s Gold, a 4-year-old daughter of Jimmy Creed out of the Fairbanks mare Foxyfromfairbanks, is 3-2-2 from 10 starts ($190,524 in purse earnings).

Bred in Kentucky by Linda Griggs, the chestnut filly will make her third start at Woodbine. After a second in a one-mile turf race on June 1, 2024, she was third three weeks later in the Alywow Stakes, at 6 ½ furlongs over the same ground.

Creed’s Gold comes into her latest test off a seventh in the Intercontinental Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga on June 5.

“She was seventh, but only four lengths off the winner, so it was a good race,” said Sullivan. “She is having a very good year so far and she’s run well at Woodbine in the past.”

After a pair of sixth-place finishes to launch her career at Gulfstream in early 2024, Creed’s Gold broke her maiden that March in a one-mile turf dash at the Hallandale oval.

“She is a bit of a lighter-raced filly,” said Sullivan. “She is a nice horse, and she had a nice stretch of seven consecutive races (March 31, 2024, to May 11, 2025) finishing in the top three.”

Owned by Kristin Meldahl, Creed’s Gold was a $25,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale.

Prince Parris is the groom.

Sired by Runhappy out of the Bob and John mare Fast Resource, Run for the Hills is 5-6-3 from 23 starts, accompanied by $460,520 in purse earnings.

Owned by Gary Barber, the 6-year-old bay mare heads into the Hendrie off a win – she was elevated from second to first – over 5 ½ furlongs of turf at Churchill Downs on May 23.

“She got promoted to top spot, but she came with a huge run,” said Sullivan. “So, she is coming into the race doing very well.”

Bred in Kentucky by Peter A. Berglar Racing Interests, LLC, Run for the Hills is 1-2-1 over 6 appearances at Woodbine.

“She is such a nice filly, very accomplished,” praised Sullivan. “She has shown a liking for racing at Woodbine, too, so the hope is she keeps that pattern going.”

Run for the Hills won the first turf race of the 2023 Woodbine season, a two-length score over 6 ½ panels on the E.P. Taylor course on May 27.

She broke her maiden in her sixth start, a 2 ½-length win at five furlongs on the Gulfstream turf, on March 3, 2023.

Gareth Daniel is the groom. ​

First post is 1:05 p.m. The wagering menu for the Hendrie includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta, and $1 Swinger.

Fans can watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and bet365.com. ​

Field for the $150,000 Hendrie Stakes (G3) – Race 9

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Nice as Pie – Sofia Vives – Kelsey Danner

2 – Ticker Tape Home – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

3 – Creed’s Gold – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

4 – Ecstasy (S) – Fraser Aebly – Sid Attard

5 – Run for the Hills – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse

6 – Ms. Tart – Pietro Moran – Kevin Rice

7 – Lithe Spirit – Eswan Flores – Steve Asmussen

8 – Gal in a Rush – Eric Cancel – Miguel Clement

Chris Lomon, Woodbine