Woodbine: Elysian Field leads 4 Casse entrants in Seaway

A field of nine fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, including formidable Mark Casse foursome Elysian Field, Olivia Rose, Stormcast and Ticker Tape Home, will travel seven furlongs on the main track in Saturday’s Grade 3, US$108,437 Seaway Stakes at Woodbine.

Owned by Gary Barber and Team Valor International, Elysian Field, who has been supplemented to the race, sports a mark of 4-6-0 from 15 starts, along with $670,581 in purse earnings.

Click here for Woodbine entries and results.

The 5-year-old daughter of Hard Spun out of the Smart Strike mare Elysian returned to the races off an eight-month layoff on July 11, finishing ninth at Colonial Downs.

“The race at Colonial, she was on the outside and never really got herself into the race,” said assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan, of the filly who closed out her 2024 campaign by notching her first graded stakes victory in the Maple Leaf Stakes (G3) on November 9. “It was a bit of a strange race for her.”

Bred by Anderson Farms Ontario, the chestnut was the 2023 Woodbine Oaks winner and King’s Plate runner-up that same year.

“I think she will be happy coming back to Woodbine,” said Sullivan. “She has always run well here, so we are looking forward to a good race.”

Elysian Field was a $70,000 purchase at the 2022 OBS June sale of 2-year-olds and horses of racing age.

Gareth Daniel is the groom.

Olivia Rose earned her fourth career stakes crown after dominating the $100,000 Ballade Stakes on July 13.

With the win, the 4-year-old daughter of Silent Name out of the Malibu Moon mare Malibu Sunrise is now 14: 5-4-1, accompanied by US$288,242 in purse earnings.

“That was really impressive,” said Sullivan. “The way she continued to go on with it (was the most impressive part of the win). She finished up so strong.”

Bred and owned by Gabe Grossberg, Olivia Rose won the 2023 running of the South Ocean Stakes. She also won last year’s editions of the Fury Stakes and Thunder Bay Stakes.

Olivia Rose broke her maiden in her third career start on Aug. 26, 2023, a 13 3/4-length stunner over 6 1/2 furlongs on the Woodbine main track.

“She’s another one who has been so consistent and always up for the task,” said Sullivan. “Hopefully, she can come up with another big performance on Saturday. This is a step up for her. I believe this is her first stakes race in open company, so it will certainly be a test for her.”

Johnny Bottoni is the groom.

Ultra-consistent Stormcast makes her return to race action after a nine-month layoff. 

Stormcast, whose initial stakes success came in the 2024 Bison City Stakes, the middle jewel of the Canadian Triple Tiara series, closed out last year’s season with a stellar score in the Bessarabian Stakes (G3) on November 9.

“I love her, she is such a lovely filly,” praised Sullivan, of the horse who fashions a 3-4-1 record from eight starts, along with $309,205 in purse earnings. “She has never finished out of the top three, which is very impressive.

“This is her first start of the year, so it’s a big race for her first start from some time off.” 

Stormcast debuted June 17, 2023, and finished second in a five-furlong sprint over the Woodbine main track.

“She has been doing very well, and we are getting her ready. We have been trying to find her the right spot and hopefully, this is it."

The dark bay, bred in Ontario by Dr. Tan Hyka, was a US$95,000 purchase at the 2023 OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training.

“People might notice a little change in that her ownership is now listed as Lighthouse racing,” noted Sullivan. “It is still the same ownership group – they just did a little rebranding. She has new silks and a new ownership name, but it is the same group.”

Billy Forde is the groom.

Owned by Live Oak Plantation, Ticker Tape Home tallied her first graded stakes success when she won the 2024 edition of the Seaway.

The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro out of the War Front mare Journey Home has hit the podium – one second and a pair of thirds – in three of her four starts in 2025.

“She has really been running so well this year,” said Sullivan. “She won this race last year, so we know it’s a race she really likes. I think she is kind of sitting on that big win – she has been right there in all her starts this year. Very close, just hasn’t got there.”

The 5-year-old dark bay, bred by Sam-Son Farm, is 20: 4-3-2 with US$328,269 in purse earnings. 

Ticker Tape Home was a US$625,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga select yearling sale.

Johnny Bottoni is the groom.