Tepin in fine fettle ahead of 2016 Woodbine Mile

Owned by Robert Masterson and trained by Mark Casse, Tepin, the 1-2 morning line choice, will be looking to become the second filly or mare to win the Ricoh Woodbine Mile, Ventura having turned the trick in 2009 after finishing second in the previous year’s running.

The Bernstein bay once again took to the Woodbine main track at the crack of dawn on Friday morning to prepare for her first Canadian start.

"I'm really happy with her. She went off and galloped a mile, which is what we do the day before a big race. She was full of energy today," said assistant trainer Norm Casse. "Tomorrow she'll come out and walk, have an easy morning and a light breakfast and then we wait. All systems go."

Environment Canada is calling for a 60 percent chance of rain on Saturday, but Casse doesn't expect the potentially wet weather to dampen the party.

"We'll be happy if it rains, but we brought her here to Woodbine to showcase her to the fans and I'd like it to be a beautiful day so everybody shows up," said Casse.

Juvenile fillies Black Canary and Enstone were among a contingent of horses that traveled up from Saratoga with Casse.

Black Canary, a bay daughter of War Front, graduated on debut at Saratoga on September 2 with a battling head score over Orecchiette.  The win for the well-regarded filly earned a 67 Beyer Speed Figure.

"If you watch the head on, they were bumping pretty good. That's probably one of the reasons why both those horses didn't finish better and got a low Beyer number," said Casse. "At the same time, they were bumping each other the whole way and not really running full speed. She's a horse we're really high on and thought would win first time out. I think she'll get better."

Enstone, an Ontario-bred daughter of Tiznow, comes into the Natalma as a maiden after three starts but has been keeping heady company.

"We entered her several times at Saratoga and she could never get in," said Casse. "She worked with Tepin head to head two weeks ago and really worked well. We were high on her before she worked with Tepin and were even more excited afterward. She's a horse, going forward, that's going to get better. She needed her last start at Saratoga, but she's ready now."

Steip Amach, conditioned by David Smaga, arrives at Saturday's Grade 2 $300,000 Canadian Stakes, a Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' event from a third-place finish in the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet over 1 ¼ miles at Deauville.

Italian rider Umberto Rispoli has the call on Steip Amach as he makes his fourth appearance at Woodbine. Rispoli will be looking for his first win over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, his previous best result in Canada came in 2012 when he piloted Scalo to a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes.

In addition to her most recent effort, Steip Amach, a four-year-old daughter of Vocalised, also ran a good third in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville on July 31 and is in career form.

"She's improved a lot the last two starts. When we ran in the Rothschild in July she ran third. We ran that race looking for black type and we got beat by two good fillies, Qemah and Volta, so the line was very good," said Rispoli.

Rispoli took Steip Amach for a gallop over the Woodbine Tapeta this morning and also spent time walking the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

"I think she will need good to firm ground. Even if it rains tomorrow, the course looks good," said Rispoli. "She's in top form. She has never looked so good. Maybe she likes Toronto." 

A field of seven in the Canadian includes the swift Midnight Miley as a potential pacesetter.

"I know in America the pace is quite fast and that's good for her. She can run behind the pace, mid-field, and make a run," said Rispoli.

Rispoli believes the filly, making her first start in North America, will appreciate the one-turn 1 1/8-mile turf layout of the Canadian and will have no issues racing the opposite way.

"She won in Leopardstown (G3 Amethyst Stakes) on a left-handed track in Ireland and I think she'll have no problems," said Rispoli.

Steip Amach is listed as the 5-2 second choice in the Canadian behind favoured Dacita (2-1) and defending champion Strut the Course (6-1)

Full Mast, the lone American invader for Saturday’s Woodbine Mile, is on the grounds for trainer Bill Mott.

And while the majority of the attention revolves around Tepin, Mott will be here to saddle Full Mast and is expecting a big effort from the Kentucky-bred.

“He’s a very talented horse,” said Mott, who welcomed Full Mast into his Florida string late last year after the 4-year-old colt raced in France at 2 and 3 for owner/breeder Juddmonte Farm.

 “He’s a little bit temperamental, but I think he’s got a lot of run in the tank. I think he’s got it in him to have a big one if we get the right situation and he puts his best foot forward.”

Full Mast was 3-for-3 as a juvenile, his final success coming when the top-class Gleneagles was disqualified from a first-place finish in the Group 1 Prix Grand Criterium over seven furlongs at Longchamp. Longchamp.

But, after opening his sophomore campaign with a solid second in a Group 3 mile at Chantilly, Full Mast was well-beaten in his next start and did not reappear in the entries until he debuted for Mott this June 5 with a sharp score under third-level allowance terms on Belmont’s turf.

Mott then sent Full Mast here four weeks later for the Grade 2 King Edward, a seven-furlong turf race in which he stalked the pace and finished fourth, beaten two lengths.

While Full Mast experienced some traffic trouble in the King Edward Mott did not believe that had a significant effect on his finish. 

 “I think he was full of run around the turn, and when he had to wait a little bit might have gotten a little bit discouraged,” said Mott.

“He actually had room as he straightened out for home, and he didn’t fire his best shot through the lane. I’m not going to make any big excuses for him.”

Full Mast’s difficult side was on display prior to his next start as he objected to entering the starting gate.

“He’s a tough horse,” said Mott. “He’s not simple to figure out; he’s got some tricks to him.”

But Full Mast’s performance in the race itself was noteworthy, as he raced within striking distance throughout and was beaten a pair of noses in a driving finish.

‘He ran a credible race, but I don’t believe he ran his best,” said Mott. “I think he only gave me about 80 per cent."

Mott has a good history, in the Woodbine Mile, having sent out Geri to win the inaugural running in 1997 and Courageous Cat and Lea to end second in the respective 2011 and 2012 editions.

Joel Rosario, who was Lea’s partner and has ridden Full Mast in two of his three North American starts, retains the mount.