Champion Lexie Lou forced to skip Woodbine return after suffering eye injury

TORONTO – An eye injury will prevent filly Lexie Lou, Canada’s horse of the year in 2014, from making her scheduled return to Woodbine Racetrack on Wednesday night.

The 2014 Queen’s Plate champion was expected to run in a 1 1/16-mile turf event for older fillies and mares. It would’ve been her first race since finishing second in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes on Jan. 17 at Santa Anita.

“She was training well leading up to it,” trainer Mark Casse said Monday morning. “Last week, she scratched her eye, but we treated it and it got better.

“Now, it’s swollen shut. But, we have an expert from the University of Guelph taking care of her. I don’t think it’s anything serious. She’ll be fine.”

Casse said Lexie Lou, who also captured last year’s Woodbine Oaks, was injured in a freak accident.

“I’m guessing she just brushed against some straw and that’s how it happened,” he said. “She’ll live to fight another day.

“We just want to make sure that she’s OK and we wanted people to know what happened.”

Lexie Lou, owned by Gary Barber and ridden by Patrick Husbands, was working towards a possible start in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes on Sept. 13 at Woodbine. A win in that race would’ve secured Lexie Lou a berth at the Breeders’ Cup.

Lexie Lou won four of her eight races as a three-year-old in 2014, showing much versatility in taking both the Oaks and Plate on the Polytrack while winning the Wonder Where Stakes over Woodbine’s E.P. Taylor turf course.

Lexie Lou was named champion three-year-old filly, grass mare and horse of the year in Canada last year. She finished second in her four-year-old debut at Santa Anita.

“We’ll find out more in a day or so,” said Casse, six times Canada’s top trainer. “Obviously, it’s disappointing for everyone.

“Our focus is on getting her better. She’s a wonderful horse, one you are so proud to be associated with.”