Amalfi Coast and Jeanie B Meet Again in Royal North

Trainers Mark Casse and Josie Carroll will both be well represented in the June 4 CA$175,000 Royal North Stakes (G2T), the first turf stakes race of the 2022 Woodbine season. ​Casse sends out multiple graded stakes winner Amalfi Coast, graded stakes-placed Jeanie B (GB), multiple graded stakes-placed La Libertee, and graded stakes winner Souper Sensational. Multiple graded stakes winner Boardroom, Gidgetta, and stakes winner Lady War Machine comprise Carroll's talented trio. ​Purchased for $475,000 by Tracy Farmer at the 2021 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Amalfi Coast will look to defend her Royal North title after a hard-fought nose win in last year's running. ​Bred in Ontario by Terra Farms, the now 6-year-old daughter of Tapizar was feted as Canada's champion female sprinter in 2021 after a season in which she posted a mark of 2-1-2 from five starts. Her other victory last year came in the Ontario Fashion Stakes (G3). Amalfi Coast, sporting a lifetime record of 7-3-4, will make her 20th career start on Saturday. ​"We got her to Ocala and it took her a while to come around," Casse said. "She ran hard and had a very successful season last year. It took her some time to get her feet under her. I think she was tired. Between the racing and the sale—horse sales are extremely hard on horses, mentally and physically—it was a long year. But she's trained very well recently, and she usually comes with her A-game, and I would expect her to." ​A 5-year-old daughter of Bated Breath (GB), Jeanie B has missed a trip to the winner's circle by a nose and a neck in two of her past three stakes engagements. ​Last year, the chestnut mare, bred in Great Britain by E & R Bastian, lost to Amalfi Coast in the Royal North. In her most recent effort, the April 16 Long Branch Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong Tapeta event at Woodbine, she was collared late by Dreaming of Drew. ​"That's twice (narrow losses) for her now. I kind of feel like Jeanie B is training better than ever. She tries hard. She does have a little advantage in that she has a couple of races under her belt this year." Owned by CJ Thoroughbreds, Jeanie B is 4-5-2 from 16 starts. ​La Libertee, bred and owned by Farmer, is chasing her first stakes win. The 4-year-old daughter of Constitution made her seasonal debut in March at Gulfstream Park, finishing fourth in the Captiva Island Stakes. ​Souper Sensational, a 4-year-old daughter of Curlin, arrives at the Royal North off a fifth-place finish in the Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland last October.