There’s a youth movement in Mark Casse’s barn, and it’s paying off.
“We definitely have the strongest bunch of 2-year-olds that we’ve had in a long time, number-wise,” Casse told Horse Racing Nation on Tuesday. “We came up with kind of a plan and had a lot of owners back us up and give us good horses. We have something like, I don’t know, 40 2-year-old wins or something.”
Those youngsters are part of Casse’s 18 graded-stakes wins this year, and those came with 14 different horses.
His earnings are strong too at $14.2 million, and he could be on pace to break his career high of $17.9 million in 2016.
“Well, we have to win a Breeders’ Cup or two,” Casse said. “I think going into this weekend we already have four 2-year-olds going to the Breeders’ Cup. And hopefully we have a big weekend coming up, hopefully a couple others come out of that. Our 2-year-olds have been very good to us this year, very strong.”
Casse said he has about 75 2-year-olds in training, out of 125 to 150 overall.
Speaking from his home base in Ocala, Fla., where he’s taking a break from a busy summer and fall, Casse updated on his promising 2-year-olds and 13 older stakes winners in his stable for the latest in HRN‘s Barn Tour series.
2-year-olds
And One More Time. The Omaha Beach filly out of Complicated broke her maiden at Saratoga on dirt in her second start, then switched to turf and won the Grade 1 Natalma by a neck to qualify for the Breeders’ Juvenile Fillies Turf. “She’s always been very high on our list,” Casse said. “She has an unbelievable pedigree. I think she’s the fourth stakes winner for her mother out of four foals, I believe four or five foals. Ran a great race first time on the turf. We tried to run her on the turf a few times, and she broke her maiden impressively at Saratoga. So she’s a very nice filly. We’re looking forward to running her in the Breeders’ Cup.”
La Cara. The Street Sense filly broke her maiden at Saratoga in her fourth start, then won the Pocahontas (G3) at Churchill Downs. “La Cara’s going to run in the Breeders’ Cup on the dirt. She just won the Pocahontas, broke her maiden at Saratoga very impressively and had a real professional win in the Pocahontas. Got away slow, settled and came running and was very impressive.”
Sherbini. The Cairo Prince filly won her debut at Churchill, then was second in the Schuylerville and third in the Spinaway (G1) last out. She’s entered in the Alcibiades (G1) on Friday at Keeneland. “I like her a lot. We’ve been waiting to run her two turns. I think that with a good trip, she’s going to run well, and she could be a Breeders’ Cup possibility.”
She’s Got Will. A daughter of War of Will, she won her debut at Saratoga and then was third last out in the Juvenile Fillies Stakes at Kentucky Downs. She’s an also-eligible entry in Saturday’s Jessamine (G2) at Churchill Downs, but Casse said she shipped Monday to Belmont and will run in the Miss Grillo (G2).
Shifty. The Medaglia d’Oro filly broke her maiden in her second start, leading at every call to win the listed Catch a Glimpse Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths. “She broke her maiden in the stake impressively, in the Catch a
Glimpse. She was supposed to run last weekend in the Miss Grillo, and then it canceled. She runs in the Miss Grillo this Sunday. Either one of She’s Got Will or Shifty, if they were to run well, would go to the Breeders Cup.”
Older horses
Filo di Arianna. After wins in the Highlander (G2) and King Edward (G2), the gelded son of Drosselmeyer was second to stablemate Win for the Money in the Woodbine Mile (G1). “He’s one of my favorites. He’s 8 years old, and he’s had a lot of issues along the way. But he’s good right now. He’s very good, maybe as good as he’s ever been.” And he’s headed for the Breeders’ Cup.
Win for the Money. A 5-year-old gelding by Mohaymen, he is 2-for-4 this year. “He just won the Woodbine Mile, and he’s going to the Breeder’s Cup,” Casse said. “He’s just gotten better and better. I was very proud of his last performance, and he’s a horse that we’ve taken some time with, but he’s fine now. And he’s reached his peak.”
Paramount Prince. The 4-year-old gelded son of Society’s Chairman won the Dominion Day (G3) and Seagram Cup (G2) but was fifth last out in the Durham Cup (G3). It was only his second out-of-the-money finish in 13 career starts. “He didn’t run good the other day. I really don’t know why. But he’ll stay in Toronto. I think we’re going to run him back in the Autumn (G2 on Nov. 9). He kind of threw a clunker. What’s funny is he’s only done it once before, and it was almost a year to the date.” That was a 13th-place finish in the Breeders’ Stakes last Oct. 1.
Pounce. The 3-year-old Lookin at Lucky filly is 3-for-6 this year, with stakes wins in the Lake George (G3) and Herecomesthebride (G3). Last out, she was ninth in the Music City Stakes (G2). “Pounce runs in the Valley View (G2) at Keeneland towards the end of the month. Had a real rough trip her last start in the race at Kentucky Downs, which is not unusual. It’s Kentucky Downs, anything’s possible.”
Get Smokin. The 7-year-old Get Stormy gelding is 1-for-4 this year, but that win came in the United Nations (G2). He was fifth in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) on Saturday. “He ran the other day. … The turf was pretty soft, and I don’t think he cared for it at all. So we’re going to regroup with him. I don’t really know where I’m going to go with him just yet.”
Palazzi. The 6-year-old Pioneerof the Nile gelding won the Eclipse (G2) in June but is 0-for-6 this year otherwise. He’ll run this weekend in the Singspiel (G3).
Ice Chocolat. The 6-year-old Goldikovic gelding hasn’t raced since winning the Poker (G3) in June. “Ice Chocolat’s off for the rest of the year. Won’t come back until in the spring. He had a minor injury, no operation, just getting some time.”
Essex Serpent. The 3-year-old gelding by Honor Code won his debut, was second next out and then won the Marine (G3). But he was 10th in his last two starts, the King’s Plate and Prince of Wales. “I’ve just given him a break. He ran a bummer in both the King’s Plate and the Prince of Wales. He’s just chilling right now. I have no idea when I’m going to run him back.”
Time to Dazzle. The 3-year-old filly by Not This Time won the Ontario Colleen (G3) in July and was fourth last out in the Music City, and she’ll run in the Glen Cove next weekend at Aqueduct. “She’s another one that got pretty unlucky at Kentucky Downs. She could easily, I think with a little better trip, could easily have won. She’s very talented, but she’s her own worst enemy. She’s always getting herself in trouble.”
Ticker Tape Home. The 4-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly is 2-for-4 this year after winning the Seaway (G3) last out. She’s set to run in the Ontario Fashion (G3) this weekend.
Fev Rover. After winning three graded stakes last year, the 6-year-old Gutaifan mare has a 4: 0-2-1 record this year. She’ll look for a win Saturday in the Dance Smartly (G2).
Solo Album. The 4-year-old Curlin filly’s lone win in four starts this year came in the Trillium (G3), and she was fourth last out in the Ontario Matron (G3). Casse said the owners have decided to offer her for sale. “She’s sound, she could run, but they’re going to sell her. So I don’t know if there’s a possibility somebody may buy her and keep running her, but right now, she’s going to be sold.”
Play the Music. The 4-year-old Mo Town filly has a 7: 4-0-2 record this year, with graded wins in the Whimsical (G3) and Royal North (G3). She was third last out in the Hendrie (G3) in July. “Played the Music got hurt in her last start, and she’s retired. The Glassmans are going to breed her. I’m not sure who they’re going to breed her to, but she is going to be a broodmare for them.”
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