Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said D.J. Stable's Glider will make his next start on March 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham, a one-turn mile for sophomores offering 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.
By Quality Road and out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Yellow Boat, the $200,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is a half-brother to the multiple graded stakes winning turf sprinter Fast Boat.
Glider graduated at second asking in a one mile and 70 yard off-the-turf maiden special weight on Jan. 6 at Gulfstream Park and followed with a runner-up effort to the well-regarded Todd Pletcher-trainee Emmanuel in a one mile and 40 yard optional-claimer on Jan. 30 at Tampa Bay Downs.
“I thought his last race was pretty good on dirt. I think the mile should suit him nice,” Casse said. “I'm still trying to figure out exactly what he wants. His last race was pretty good. There wasn't much pace in the race and I think Todd thinks a lot of his horse. We thought the Gotham would be a good spot.”
Glider has worked steadily at Palm Meadows, including a five-eighths breeze in 1:00.30 on February 19.
“He's trained better coming out of the race than he went into it,” Casse said.
Antonio Gallardo will retain the mount aboard Glider.
Rustlewood Farm's homebred Pappacap is in good order following his off-the-board effort in last Saturday's G2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds.
Casse said the Gun Runner colt, who is currently in fourth place [14 points] in the Kentucky Derby points standings, will target the G1 Florida Derby on April 2 at Gulfstream Park.
“I'm still baffled by his poor performance. He's never done that before. He's going to come to Ocala to the training center and see how things go. We're looking at possibly coming back in the Florida Derby,” Casse said. “If he had ran and got beat two or three lengths, you'd say maybe he just wasn't good enough but he just didn't show up at all. Tyler [Gaffalione] had him in a great spot and when he asked him to go, he never went.”
Casse sent out a trio of Derby hopefuls in the Sam F. Davis on February 12 at Tampa, including Volcanic [3rd], God of Love [5th] and Golden Glider [6th].
Casse said Breeze Easy's Volcanic, a Violence chestnut, will point to either the G1 Blue Grass on April 9 at Keeneland or the G2 Wood Memorial on the same day at the Big A. Both races offer 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.
“Volcanic ran a great race. He had a wide trip on both turns in his first time going two turns,” Casse said. “Right now, I'm looking at the Blue Grass for him or possibly the Wood Memorial. We're looking at both spots.
“I'll come back in the Tampa Bay Derby [March 12] with Golden Glider – he ran well and got bothered a little bit late by Volcanic,” Casse added. “God of Love will run in the Jeff Ruby [April 2] at Turfway.”
D.J. Stable and Chester and Mary Broman's New York-bred Coinage worked a bullet half-mile in :47.80 over the Palm Meadows Training Center turf on Feb. 18 in his first breeze back out of a third-place finish in the G3 Kitten's Joy on February 5 at Gulfstream.
The 3-year-old Bromans-bred son of Tapit, out of the Grade 1-winning Medaglia d'Oro mare Bar of Gold, won the G3 With Anticipation in September over the Saratoga turf.
Casse said Coinage, who is stakes-placed on dirt, will now target the $125,000 Palm Beach, a one-mile turf test for sophomores on March 5 at Gulfstream.
“Coinage will run in the turf stakes next week at Gulfstream. We're going to keep him on the grass for now,” Casse said.
Gary Barber's multiple graded stakes placed New York-bred Make Mischief worked a half-mile in :48.40 over the Casse Training Center dirt on February 22.
It was the second work back for the 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, who was last seen finishing third in the Empire Distaff in October at Belmont.
“We gave Make Mischief a little break and she's training exceptionally well. I haven't thought about a spot just yet for her, but I would think it would be in New York,” Casse said.
Make Mischief posted a record of 10-3-1-3 last year, including a win in the restricted Maddie May at Aqueduct and graded placings in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont and Grade 2 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs.
Casse said the time off was by design after a lengthy campaign.
“I like giving my 3-year-olds a break when it gets towards the latter part of the year and they have to run against older horses,” Casse said. “It worked good with Tepin, Got Stormy and World Approval. I've done it with a lot of horses and at some point they have to have a break.”
Casse said Gary Barber and Kinsman Stable's Strong Quality, a maiden winner on Feb. 19 at the Fair Grounds at second asking will look to run through his conditions.
“We like that horse a lot but we're going to take it slower with him. He'll come back in a '1X',” Casse said.
A 3-year-old Quality Road colt, out of the Tiznow mare Tiz So Sweet, Strong Quality was purchased for $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale. He finished third on debut on Jan. 23 at Fair Grounds to the Brad Cox-trained Zozos, who came back to win an optional-claimer by 10 1/4-lengths on Feb. 11 at Oaklawn.
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