2009 Woodbine Oaks Post Position: 13

*  In 149 editions of the Queen’s Plate, 33 have been won by fillies. So, roughly one out of every five renewals is captured by a filly. The last to complete the task was Dancethruthedawn in 2001. If you believe in the law of averages, a filly is due to step forward and win the Canadian classic.   

*  The Woodbine Oaks only has about one third the history of the Queen’s Plate. Nonetheless, it is still interesting that only one filly (Jammed Lovely, 1967) parlayed a second-place finish in the Oaks into a Plate score. Tasty Temptation will be the 13^th Oaks runner-up to try. On raw numbers, fillies that won the Oaks have fared considerably better – having doubled up in the Plate on four occasions (Flaming Page, La Lorgnette, Dance Smartly and Dancethruthedawn).  

*  After spotting her rivals several lengths at the starting gate, it appeared Tasty Temptation had lost all chance in the June 7 Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser. She was basically forced to use the last-to-first tactics that had brought Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird such success. The race dynamics weren’t favorable to such a style. Jockey Patrick Husbands made a strong wide mid-race rush to get Tasty back into the race.  She sustained her rally to the turn and drew even with eventual winner Milwaukee Appeal. The long rally took its toll, though. Milwaukee Appeal repelled the challenge and Tasty Temptation had to settle for second, 3 ¾ lengths behind. 

*  According to Trakus, she travelled 46 feet further than Milwaukee Appeal. On the Ragozin scale, Casse said she earned a very strong 4 ½ figure. On the Beyer scale, she earned a 93, which is higher than any number earned by any of the colts or geldings in the Plate field. It is for this reason that Casse is confident to run her against the boys in the most important race on the calendar.  

*  “When you look at their numbers, they usually can’t compete,” he explained. “In this case, and in the case of Rachel Alexandra, the speed figures of the girls are better than the boys.” 

*  Tasty Temptation was also an ‘unlucky’ second in the May 17 La Lorgnette Stakes.  She was 16 lengths off the early tempo in the 1 1/16-mile contest, but uncorked a rally that nearly put her in a win photo with Grade 1 Ashland winner Hooh Why. Casse said Husbands felt he could’ve won the race.  

*  “At the eighth pole, he started a run and she ducked in. He said if he would have continued and went on with her through the inside she would have won. He had to grab her and straighten her out. It stopped her momentum.  I was happy that she had run to our expectations.” 

*  “Early on, it looked like she was the most talented two-year-old we had. She had sore shins and a few things go on. When I first got her here, in the summer, she came with high accolades, but she didn’t train very well. I think she went through a growing stage and tailed off. It took us a while to get her to where we were happy with the way she was training. It just takes time,” he explained.  

*  The end of the Woodbine meet prompted Casse to take Tasty Temptation to California. She had a four-race schedule at Santa Anita that can be best described as progressive. Her U.S. debut consisted of a sixth-place finish at 6 ½ furlongs over the downhill turf course. She indicated improvement in her first two route events, finishing fourth and third. She broke her maiden March 13 in a 1 1/16-mile Santa Anita contest. 

*  “The race she ran first time with blinkers on, she should have won. She had a terrible trip. She was much the best. That was our first indication that maybe this was a pretty good filly.” 

*  On April 11 at Keeneland, Tasty Temptation ran in a first-level allowance race that proved to be a ‘nightmare’ said Casse. With the exception of a half-furlong segment in mid-stretch, Tasty Temptation had absolutely nowhere to run during the 1 1/16-mile race. From the start to the first turn, she was in heavy traffic. On the backstretch, she was keen to run but a rallying outside runner prevented her from angling out. In traffic again on the second turn, she looked like she might find a seam at the top of the stretch, but rivals swarmed her from both sides at the same time and impeded her progress. Finally presented with running room in mid-stretch, she showed genuine interest and stayed on willingly until blocked in the final yards. She wound up fifth, defeated 1 ¼ lengths.   

*  Casse describes Tasty Temptation as a filly you don’t want to get behind. “She’ll kick. We give her a wide berth. She’s kind of like Sealy Hill that way.  She’s a big, tough filly. She’s probably bigger than those colts.”  

Owner - Woodford Racing LLC 

William "Bill" Farish Jr. was born in 1964 in Houston and currently lives at Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. Farish is a prominent name in the racing business. Bill Jr. is on the boards of The Jockey Club, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, Blood-Horse Publications and Kentucky Thoroughbred Association. He is also the chairman of Breeders' Cup Ltd. and the NTRA Political Action Committee.

Farish is the founder and managing member of Woodford Racing, a new syndicate that includes friends and several individuals he’s introduced to racing. Woodford horses are in the care of trainer Mark Casse. Other stars have included Turf War, Legal Move, Quiet Action and Silky Smooth.

Farish's father, William S. Farish, is one of the world's most well-known and successful horsemen.  He raced over 140 stakes winners and bred more than 245 stakes winners. In 1979, he founded Lane's End.  

Farish, Jr. is the principal overseer of the Lane's End breeding operation.  Today, the 3,000-acre Lane's End is one of the industry's foremost full-service breeding establishments. In 2007, Lane's End stood 22 stallions, including A.P. Indy, Mineshaft, Pleasant Tap, Lemon Drop Kid, Kingmambo and Smart Strike, who was inducted in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in August of 2008.

Trainer – Mark Casse (see Active Duty bio) 

Jockey – Patrick Husbands 

Born in Bridgetown, Barbados, on May 22, 1973, Husbands comes from a riding family.  His father was a rider, his brother Anthony is a Woodbine trainer and another brother, Simon, also rides here. Before arriving at Woodbine in 1994, Husbands rode in Barbados.  In 1990, at age 16, he became the youngest rider to win the Cockspur Cup with Vardar.  He won the riding title there in 1993.

Husbands has continued to build on the success he first enjoyed here in 1998, a breakthrough season when he finished third in wins (131). In 10 seasons since, Husbands hasn’t failed to hit the top three in the standings. He won Woodbine riding titles in 1999, 2000 and 2007.  

In 2001, he won the Atto Mile (Numerous Times) and the Gr. 1 Metropolitan Mile (Exciting Story).

Husbands enjoyed his best season in 2002, racking up 167 tallies, earning him his third Toronto-oval riding title. The year also featured an undefeated season from two-year-old Added Edge, who won a Sovereign Award as Canada’s top two-year-old. Husbands won his fourth consecutive Sovereign as the country’s outstanding jockey.

In 2003, Husbands recorded career bests in total stakes wins (17) and purse earnings ($10,540,416). The figure was 10^th best among North America’s riding elite. The season featured the fabled Triple Crown sweep by Gus Schickedanz homebred Wando, who provided Husbands with his first Queen’s Plate score. 

Husbands was inducted into the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame in 2005, a season during which he recorded 118 Woodbine victories, accumulated $6,680,865 and surpassed the $60-million plateau. 

In 2006, Husbands won 124 races from 666 starts, including the Woodbine Oaks with Kimchi. Among his other stakes tallies were the Eclipse, Sir Barton and Bunty Lawless (all with Arch Hall), the Grey Breeders’ Cup (Skip Code) and the Breeders’ (Royal Challenger). He also rode in his first Kentucky Oaks (Top Notch Lady) and Kentucky Derby (Seaside Retreat).  

Husbands was at the top of his game in 2007. He won the rider’s title with 149 wins, including a colony-leading 21 stakes triumphs. He piloted champion Sealy Hill to victory in the Woodbine Oaks, Bison City and Wonder Where Stakes, making the Eugene Melnyk colour-bearer the first filly to sweep the Triple Tiara Series. Husbands was awarded his fifth Sovereign Award as champion rider.  

In 2008, he rallied from well off the pace to lead all Woodbine jockeys in wins with 166 tallies. He led the colony in purse earnings ($9,433,918), second-place finishes (140) and  route wins (61). Husbands captured nine Woodbine stakes with nine different horses, including the Cup & Saucer with Utterly Cool and the King Edward with Royal Oath. He won his sixth Sovereign as Canada’s champion rider.

At this point in 2009, Husbands is set to have one of the greatest seasons of his career. He’s currently on pace to break the record for most wins (currently 50 victories) at a Woodbine meet (221), which was established by Mickey Walls. He also leads all riders with five stakes wins.