Conquest Lemonraid goes long

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Conquest Lemonraid rallied to come within a neck of winning his turf debut last out and will get more ground to work with in Sunday’s $125,000 Toronto Cup Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-olds at Woodbine.

Conquest Lemonraid made his first start on grass in the Charlie Barley Stakes over a mile at Woodbine on July 2. He bumped with favorite Made From Lucky in the stretch and finished a neck behind Yorkton. Trainer Mark Casse said he was pleased with Conquest Lemonraid’s turf debut.

“I thought it was good,” he said. “There was some pretty heavy contact at about the eighth pole. Would he have run better? It’s hard to say. He definitely wouldn’t have run worse if he hadn’t got bumped.”

Casse said he had been waiting to get Conquest Lemonraid on turf.

“We always felt that was his niche,” he said. “We had breezed him on the grass as a 2-year-old in Florida, and we had been waiting a long time to run him on the grass.”

KEY CONTENDERS

Conquest Lemonraid, by Lemon Drop Kid Last 3 Beyers: 78-70-83

◗ Despite coming from off the pace in the Charlie Barley Stakes, he could find himself close to the pace Sunday with not much other early speed signed on.

Final Copy, by Malibu Moon Last 3 Beyers: 78-67-47

◗ He’s won back-to-back races on the Woodbine turf course, including last time out on June 25, when he defeated a first-level allowance field at this distance. King and His Court, by Court Vision Last 3 Beyers: 84-83-80

◗ After his seventh-place finish in the Queen’s Plate, King and His Court will move back to turf, a surface on which he made two starts as a 2-yearold. He finished fifth in the Vandal Stakes over yielding turf and was third in the prep for the Grade 2 Summer Stakes last August.

Night Watchman, by First Defence Last 3 Beyers: 67-73-68

◗ He could be forwardly placed after setting the pace two starts back in an allowance in which he faded to fourth behind Final Copy.

Watch Me Strut, by Strut the Stage Last 3 Beyers: 52-76-60

◗ He’ll make his first start on grass after breaking poorly in the Queen’s Plate and finishing 12th. He could be dangerous in the stretch after rallying strongly to win an allowance two starts back on June 4 on Tapeta.

Casse has a pair in Shady Well

Casse is also well represented in the other stakes race on the card, the $125,000 Shady Well Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta for Ontario-bred 2-yearolds. Casse will send out the debut winner Moka Latte and Mo Big Cat, who is coming off a maiden win in her second start July 8.

Other key contenders include the debut winner Mega Monster and the maiden Glamanation, who has run behind Dream It Is in both of her starts.

Rounding out the field are Jamaica Me Home, who will add Lasix, and the first-time starter Miss Danielle.