2014 Canadian Horse of the Year Lexie Lou returned to the winner's circle for the first time in over a year and a half Sunday, capturing Woodbine's GII Nassau S. in rallying fashion. Winner of the 2014 Queen's Plate over male contemporaries, the bay made just one start in 2015 due to a series of issues and finally put together a steady string of races leading up to Sunday's triumph.
Largely dismissed on the tote board as French import Stormy Victoria (Fr) (Stormy Victoria {Fr}) took the bulk of the money, Lexie Lou broke alertly and took back as Moon Rainbow (Smart Strike) sped through fractions of :23.07 and :45.26 with Mississippi Delta closely in tow. Sent up three wide turning for home as Mississippi Delta moved to the front, Lexie Lou closed stoutly down the center of the strip to collar that rival in deep stretch and win going away in a snappy final clocking. Strut the Course split horses and edged past the stubborn pacesetter late to complete the trifecta. Stormy Victoria was away slowly and made mild headway to report home fifth.
Lexie Lou, who won the Woodbine Oaks as a precursor to her tally in the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown, demonstrated proficiency over the turf in winning Santa Anita's GIII Autumn Miss S. later that term and closed out her sophomore season with a runner-up finish behind 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in the GI Hollywood Derby. The bay was a runner-up in the GII La Canada S. on dirt in January 2015, before being sidelined for nearly a year.
Third after a wide run in her return to action in a one-mile optional claimer at Tampa Bay Jan. 13, the now-5-year-old failed to factor when sixth behind champion and stablemate Tepin (Bernstein) in that venue's GIII Endeavor S. Feb. 13. Lexie Lou was last seen setting the pace and leveling off to finish third in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer over the all-weather track at Woodbine Apr. 30, a race that jockey Patrick Husbands said set her up for marked improvement Sunday afternoon.
“She's a funny filly,” said Husbands. “You've got to play with her mind. You've got to let her do what she wants to do. Last time when I rode her, nobody wanted the lead, and she took the lead and quit. She's happy to be back home. She's a nice filly. She's a little champion.”
Sunday, Woodbine
NASSAU S.-GII, C$230,800, WO, 5-29, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:32.98, fm.
1–LEXIE LOU, 118, m, 5, by Sligo Bay (Ire)
1st Dam: Oneexcessivenite, by In Excess (Ire)
2nd Dam: Favored One, by Son of Briartic
3rd Dam: Highly Favored, by Favorecidian
(C$5,500 Ylg '12 CANSEP). O-Gary Barber; B-Paradox Farm (ON); T-Mark E. Casse; J-Patrick Husbands. C$144,000. Lifetime Record: Horse of the Year, Ch. 3yo filly & Ch. grass mare-Can, GISP, 21-8-4-4, $1,594,491.
[bullet ad=”ontario-bred-sold”]2–Mississippi Delta, 118, f, 4, Giant's Causeway–Texas to a Tee,by Purge. O-Jackpot Ranch & Mike Rutherford; B-Mike G.Rutherford (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. C$40,000.
3–Strut the Course, 122, m, 6, Strut the Stage–Bold Course, by Trajectory. O/B-John Unger (ON); T-Barbara J. Minshall. C$24,000.
[bullet ad=”webb-carroll-another-wctc-grad”][bullet ad=”ontario-bred”]Margins: 3/4, NK, NK. Odds: 12.25, 6.55, 2.65.
Also Ran: Moon Rainbow, Stormy Victoria (Fr), Uchenna (Ire), Dyna's Recoleta, Fuscetta (Ger), London Tower. Scratched: Academic. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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