Rei, one of two starters to be saddled by trainer Mark Casse, will look to make his first stakes start a winning one in Saturday’s $125,000 Toronto Cup, at Woodbine.
Rei, a chestnut son of 2005 Woodbine Mile champ Leroisdesanimaux, comes into the 1 1/8-mile turf event for three-year-olds, off a rallying second-place effort in an allowance sprint.
Initially sold for $70,000 at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton October sale, Rei was then resold to current owners Pike Place Racing and Robert E. Master for $490,000 at the OBS March 2012 sale and sent to Casse.
In his lone turf start, a one-mile turf allowance at Gulfstream Park on January 5, Rei finished fourth to graded stakes winner Rydilluc.
“His turf race is a little better than it looks,” said Casse. “He had major throat surgery after that race. He had trouble with his air coming out of the race and he also got stopped in the race.”
Given that Rei’s dam, Humoristic, is a multiple graded stakes winner on the turf, it’s no surprise that Casse will give the colt another shot on the green in Saturday’s stake.
In his most recent effort, following an extended layoff after throat surgery, Rei, piloted by Gary Boulanger, closed against a significant bias.
“That last start was on Queen’s Plate day and the track was pretty speed favouring after the big rain,” recalled Casse. “He was running down the backside pretty close and Gary said something came back and whacked the horse in the head. He dropped back and thought he was going to finish last, but then he started running again and finished second.”
Casse will also send out John Oxley’s Sky Commander. The bay son of Sky Mesa arrives at the Toronto Cup off a win, via disqualification, after running second to Golden Sabre in the Charlie Barley Stakes
Sky Commander, racing along the rail under Justin Stein, was clear of the infraction caused when the wide-rallying Golden Sabre bumped Kid Dreams in the stretch run of the Charlie Barley.
“It was a good performance. Justin said he really never saw the horse that ended up winning (Golden Sabre), and then disqualified, coming,” said Casse. “It was a good effort, but no question he backed into it.”
Sky Commander’s form, which dipped following a big effort in the Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in January, has taken a noticeable turn for the better since being gelded.
“He ran a big race when he was second to Dynamic Sky in the Pasco and he was training well, but he just stopped running,” said Casse. “So, after his race at the OBS (last of eight, on March 11) we gelded him and since then he’s three-for-three.”
Providing steep opposition in the Toronto Cup is Victoria Park champ Five Iron and Grade 2 Summer Stakes runner-up Are You Kidding Me.
Keep the Case, Comes the Dream and Iratus Leo complete the field.
The Toronto Cup is slated as Race 8 on Saturday’s eight-race card. First post time is 12:50 p.m. EST. Fans can watch and wager on the card via HorsePlayer Interactive.
FIELD FOR THE TORONTO CUP
POST / HORSE / JOCKEY / TRAINER
1 / Rei / Gary Boulanger / Mark Casse
2 / Keep the Cash / Omar Moreno / Steve Chircop
3 / Sky Commander / Justin Stein / Mark Casse
4 / Comes the Dream / Eurico Rosa da Silva / George Weaver
5 / Five Iron / Luis Contreras / Brian Lynch
6 / Iratus Leo / Gerry Olguin / John MacKenzie
7 / Are You Kidding Me / Emma-Jayne Wilson / Roger Attfield
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