By Christie DeBernardis
Trainer Mark Casse is a six-time Sovereign Award winner and Canadian Hall of Famer, but he has yet to win the GIII Marine S. The conditioner looks to change that Sunday when he saddles three of the seven sophomore colts entered in the Woodbine test. “TDN Rising Star” Souper Tapit (Tapit) could not have been more impressive when winning his Feb. 18 debut at the Fair Grounds, but he has failed to repeat that effort, finishing off the board in a NOLA allowance Mar. 20 and Keeneland's GIII Lexington S. Apr. 15.
Casse also saddles Gary Barber's Conquest Lemonraid (Lemon Drop Kid), who enters off a pair of wins of Woodbine, both at sprint distances. Rounding out the Casse trio is longshot Ministers Strike (English Channel), a two-time winner on the turf. The Debby Oxley homebred has never race on synthetic and was last seen finishing seventh in the Kitten's Joy S. at Gulfstream Feb. 4.
Malcolm Pierce saddles a serious contender in Sam-Son Farm homebred Malibu Secret (Malibu Moon). Runner-up in his career bow in the Vandal S. over a yielding turf course Aug. 14, the dark bay graduated by 2 3/4 lengths next out when switched to the local synthetic Apr. 28.
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