BIG WEEKEND AT WOODBINE

Trainer Mark Casse seems to have a stranglehold on the lucrative, $500,000 Woodbine Oaks on Sunday. Northern Passion, likely favorite Dixie Strike and Black Bird Rock make up the trio of top candidates for this historic event. Dixie Strike is the likely favorite in this spot, being half to last year's champion Inglorious, who bagged both the Woodbine Oaks and Queen's Plate against the boys in 2011. This daughter of Dixie Union was a fine winner of the Selene S. in preparation of this event.

Trainer Mark Frostad, a three-time winner of this race, will send out the streaking Irish Mission. Awesome Fire, Bantee, Horseshoe Hill and Rose and Shine are also likely for this feature.

Also on the Sunday card are the $150,000 Plate Trial S. and the $100,000 Alywow S., both preps for bigger events upcoming at this meeting. The Saturday spotlight is the $300,000 Nassau S. (Can-G2).