History Lesson: The inaugural running of the Nassau Stakes dates back to 1956 where it was run at Woodbine Racetrack. The race has also been held at Fort Erie Racetrack ('67, '68, '94). The Nassau originally raced as a seven furlong dirt event and also as a mile race on the dirt until 1968 when it was transferred over to the turf at a distance of one mile and one sixteenth permanently. Sam-Son Farm holds the most wins by an owner in the Nassau with six ('89, '91, '92, '98, '01, '07), while Todd Kabel will take honors for most wins by a rider with five. Four trainers are tied with three wins each in the Nassau including the likes of Jimmy Day and Mark Frostad, both Sam-Son trainers. Roger Attfield will be looking to join the group this year as he sits at two. Over the fifty-three previous Nassau races, fans have seen seven back-to-back winners, a feat Attfield's Callwood Dancer will vie for in the fifty-fourth edition of the race. The fastest current time in the Nassau Stakes was posted by Bold Ruritana in 1996 in a time of 1:39.60.
Nassau Stakes 2009: This seasons' edition of the race brings in some tough competition with the likes of '08 winner Callwood Dancer, ship-in Rutherienne and Dance to My Tune. The $300,000 event should promise to get people out of their seats as a group of ten fillies and mares will charge down the homestretch on the E.P. Taylor turf course.
Here's a look at the field by post position:
1 Tell It as It Is by Chester House out of Talltalelady (Naskra) Own: Cinnamont Stable, Trainer: James J. Smith, Jockey: Emma-Jayne Wilson
2 Roses 'n' Wine by Broken Vow out of Regent's Fancy (Vice Regent) Own: The Estate of Firestone Farms Ltd., Trainer: David R. Bell, Jockey: Chantal Sutherland
3 Remarkable Remy by Hennessy out of Most Remarkable (Marquetry) Own: Live Oak Plantation, Trainer: Malcolm Pierce, Jockey: Emile Ramsammy
4 Scenery Change by Royal Academy out of You'd Be Surprised (Blushing Groom (Fr)) Own: Hill n Dale Equine Holdings Inc., Trainer: Josie Carroll, Jockey: Richard Dos Ramos
5 Rutherienne by Pulpit out of Ruthian (Rahy) Own: Virginia Kraft Payson L.L.C., Trainer: Christophe Clement, Jockey: Alan Garcia
6 Favorite Fantasy by Richter Scale out of Fantasy of Care (Cares Love) Own: Richard and Nancy Kastor, Trainer: Gregory DeGannes, Jockey: James McAleney
7 Meadow Saffron by Military out of Gigi Gear (Golden Gear) Own: Frederick J. Seitz, Trainer: Frederick J. Seitz, Jockey: Robert Landry
8 Dance to My Tune by Stravinsky out of Bandore (Forty-Niner) Own: Overbrook Farm, Trainer: Mark Casse, Jockey: Corey Fraser
9 Callwood Dancer (Ire) by Danehill Dancer (Ire) out of Ahdaab (Rahy) Own: Three Chimney's Racing L.L.C. and Harlequin Ranches, Trainer: Roger Attfield, Jockey: Eurico Rosa Da Silva
10 Points of Grace by Point Given out of Fateful (Topsider) Own: Live Oak Plantation, Trainer: Malcolm Pierce, Jockey: Patrick Husbands
The Skinny: There are some very talented individuals in this race and we should be looking at the fact that the turf has taken a lot of rain over the last three days when handicapping the Nassau.
James J. Smith is sending out five-year-old mare Tell It as It Is, ridden by Emma Wilson; who is on fire right now. This daughter of Chester House is going out in her second start of the season; finishing a very game fifth in an allowance race in Keenland on April 17th, with John Velasquez aboard. A career earner of $353,515 includes three wins in nine tries on the turf and $176,140. She has posted consistently decent Beyer numbers including two 92's in '08 over this very same turf course, one of which was a win over a yielding surface in the Tattling Stakes. Have to like her chances with Wilson up as the two have combined for all of the mares turf wins lifetime. Look for her to close down the long homestretch. Has a shot.
Roses 'n' Wine comes into the Nassau with two straight wins of the shelf in '09. However, both wins come in conditioned allowance company and this is a big step up. We should keep in mind that this filly does like the turf and the distance. Last season she would have two strong runner-up finishes in the Wonder Where Stakes and the Carotene Stakes. Though her Beyers have not been as strong as others in the field, she comes into this one with a very hot rider in Chantal Sutherland who is currently in second in the jockey standings at Woodbine and has done very well on the E.P. Taylor turf course. Outside chance carrying only 115lbs, best of the worst in this field.
Live Oak Plantation and Malcolm Pierce have two individuals in this race starting with ship-in, turf specialist, Remarkable Remy. This four-year-old filly has five life time wins over the grass in fourteen starts, with earnings just over 280k. She has veteran Emile Ramsammy aboard in her second start of the '09 season, looking to improve on the outfits remarkable start to the season: no pun intended. She has posted four respectable works in May and should be sharp and ready to go for this race. Throw out the first start of the season as she would have a poor outing just as she did to start the '08 season. It appears she needs to get one into her before she begins to run creditably. Like her chances, should be in contention throughout.
The second of the Pierce outfit is Points of Grace. She is a lightly raced four-year-old who has an amazing 100% in the money record, going 6-4-2-0 lifetime with earnings of $124,474. She gets Woodbine's leading jockey Patrick Husbands for this one. She has been racing in the Fairgrounds over the winter against condition allowance and optional claiming allowance company, where she would pick up two wins over the turf there. This is her toughest test to date, but, seeing Husbands take the call here may be a good indication that she is ready for this next step in her career. Just watching this time around.
Conditioner Josie Carroll's ship-in, Scenery Change, is also taking a big step up in her career. The five-year-old mare has come to Woodbine in late April after being raced in the Fairgrounds and Keenland over the winter. She has three lifetime wins over the grass, mainly against allowance company and has career earnings of just under 100k. She has ran well over a firm turf course over her years though we have to look at her last start over a yielding course back in November '06 where she finished way out of contention, seventeen lengths back of the winner. This may prove to be a bad spot for the Carroll student after all this wet weather in Toronto. Looking elsewhere.
Rutherienne is sent out by Christophe Clement. This ship-in is going to be taking a bundle of money on the tote board as she has been the most consistent earner out of the field. She has posted Beyers in the 90's or better in every race in '08 and continued the trend in her first start off the shelf this year in a second place effort in the Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keenland on April 11th posting a 97. She has a very good turf record at 18-9-1-6 lifetime with earnings of $961,555, which happens to be her career record, she's a turfer through and through. She has been beaten for second by rival Callwood Dancer and will look to exact revenge here in the Nassau. Top choice, don't think the soft track should make a difference for this grass horse.
Roger Attfield will bring back last year's Nassau winner Callwood Dancer. She is a Woodbine favorite and has come back here after being winter-raced at Gulf Stream Park and a training stint at Keenland. Callwood Dancer was eased in her last start in February but has come back to train well breezing over the Woodbine turf course at four and six furlongs. Attfield will be looking to join the record books again, as a win here will tie him with four others for most Nassau Stakes wins at three. With a 18-5-4-3 turf record and earnings of over 600k on the sod, Callwood Dancer should be a very tough competitor in her third start of the '09 campaign, as she is consistently in the money and is bred for the surface. She will be tough to beat on her home turf. (Pun intended)
Trainer Greg DeGannes sends out a winter-raced individual in Favorite Fantasy. She will go out in her fifth start of the season and second straight graded turf contest; finishing fourth and fifth in the latter. She does not have the consistent Beyers of others in the field, but has run her best figures with rider Jim McAleney aboard, who will reunite with the filly here. She has career earnings of just over 140k and is no stranger to the turf with ten lifetime starts over a grass surface with a record of 10-1-1-1. Could hit the board with the right trip.
Freddy Seitz has shipped in Meadow Saffron, a lightly raced filly with the least career earnings out of this group with $52,008 in the bank. She has only raced over a grass surface in seven lifetime starts and posted a high Beyer of 91, which came in her last start; a win at Keenland against condition allowance company. This will be her first stakes contest and will have to be at her best to beat the favorites here. Meadow Saffron has never raced over a soft or yielding turf which should play a factor on this day.
Dance to My Tune is a non-winner in six tries on the grass. She has been in Keenland since October '08 after being sold by Dave Cotey and connections and come back to work at the Toronto oval on May 1st for conditioner Mark Casse. The five-year-old mare has posted Beyers in the mid-eighties over her last three starts, all over the turf, but has yet to get the win. She hasn't faced stakes company since September 27th, 2008, where she would finish seventh, five lengths out, in a seven furlong event. Corey Fraser is up for the first time in a race with her, but, it shouldn't make a difference against these foes, she's in tough.
My Picks: 5-1-3
Please feel free to leave your picks and comments on the 54th running of the Nassau Stakes Gr.II.
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