CHERRIE JUST BEGINNING TO BLOSSOM
(from Woodbine report)
TORONTO, August 18 – The potent one-two punch of trainer Mark Casse and jockey Patrick Husbands combined to win three races on Saturday at Woodbine, including the $125,000 Ontario Debutante Stakes with Officer Cherrie.
Casse, last year’s champion trainer in Canada, has teamed with the four-time Sovereign Award-winning jockey as the country’s top rider for several key scores in 2007.
They kicked off the win parade in the fourth race with Turf War ($5.80), while Simply Stylish ($12.30) won the seventh.
In the sixth, Officer Cherrie, dismissed at 13-1, won her second consecutive race and first stake, tracking down 1-5 favourite Dancing Allstar in the final strides to take the six-furlong feature by a half-length.
Officer Cherrie, a bay daughter of Officer, watched a spirited duel unfold between My Dear Stakes winner Dancing Allstar and previously undefeated Poco Uno, as the duo took the field through early opening splits of :22.60 and :45.03.
As the field straightened for home, Dancing Allstar began to widen her lead and appeared well on her way to victory, but a determined Officer Cherrie and Husbands kept grinding away to take all the spoils.
Dancing Allstar was second. Simple Sister finished third, another 4 ¼-lengths behind. The final time over the Polytrack was 1:10.45.
“I ride all the races the same, I play it by ear every time I leave the gate,” said Husbands, who notched his first Ontario Debutante crown and colony-leading 15th stakes score of 2007. “I don’t care who is in the race.”
Trainer Mark Casse, who leads all conditioners with nine stakes victories on the campaign, was expecting his two-year-old filly to put in a solid run down the lane.
“We were in the paddock and I always ask Patrick what he thinks,” offered Casse. “He said, ‘We can win this race.’ I said it might be a bit short for her. I told him I wanted to see her come running and she did. We were lucky.”
Officer Cherrie launched her racing career on June 23, an eighth-place finish at five furlongs that saw the Charles Laloggia-owned miss run wide into the first turn.
On July 21, Husbands piloted Officer Cherrie to a 2 ¼-length triumph at 5 ½-furlongs. The veteran believes ‘Cherrie’ is beginning to blossom.
“Her last two races show you that she is a champion,” said Husbands. “She’s just getting better and better every day.”
Officer Cherrie earned $75,000 for the Ontario Debutante victory.
She paid $28.20, $4.90 and $3.70 across the board, combining with Dancing Allstar ($2.20, $2.10) for a $57.70 exactor. Simple Sister ($3.30) finished third. The triactor paid $156.50.