Mark Casse Hoping His Trio Get Hot Pace Facing Town Cruise In Sunday’s Nearctic Stakes

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said his best chance to win Sunday's (October 17) Grade 2 $250,000 Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine will come if there's a hot pace that falls apart late in the six-furlong race on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

“All three of my horses are come-from-behind horses,” Casse said of Olympic Runner (post 3, Rafael Hernandez, 6-1), Turned Aside (post 6, Kazushi Kimura, 20-1) and Lucky Curlin (post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 10-1).

Casse said “the old pro” Olympic Runner and “up-and-coming horse” Lucky Curlin, “need some pace and I think there's going to be some pace. There's some quick horses in there. If we get some pace and it falls apart, both of those horses will come running.”

The Nearctic has drawn 10 horses and will go as race 10 on Sunday, two races after the card's main event, the Grade 1 $600,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes.

Brandon Greer trainee Town Cruise (post 9, Daisuke Fukumoto, 2-1) is the morning line favorite, followed by Admiralty Pier (post 1, Antonio Gallardo, 7-2), White Flag (post 4, Emma-Jayne Wilson, 5-1) and then Olympic Runner.

Casse said 4-year-old Lucky Curlin has run well in his two starts this year – a victory on Aug. 22 at Woodbine in an Allowance Optional Claiming race and a second to Pink Lloyd on September 25 in the Grade 3 $150,000 Bold Venture Stakes, also at Woodbine. Lucky Curlin (Curlin-My Lady Luck by Hard Spun) has a record of 3-3-3 in 14 starts.

“Irad Ortiz is going to ride him for us,” Casse said. “He's coming in to ride in the E.P. Taylor, so he's going to ride him for us. (Lucky Curlin) belongs to Gary Barber… He won on the turf and then came back and was second in the stakes to Pink Lloyd. But he's actually pretty good on the grass. There's supposed to be some rain and I'm hoping there's a little cut in the ground and it maybe brings some of his speed back. He'll be running late.”

Casse said Olympic Runner “had kind of tough trip last time” in the Grade 1 $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile on September 18, finishing eighth in a race won by Town Cruise. Yet, it's been a productive year for Olympic Runner, a 5-year-old son of Gio Ponti-Nadadora by Carson City owned by Barber. Olympic Runner is 2-2-0 in eight starts in 2021. Olympic Runner won the Grade 2 $175,000 King Edward Stakes on August 15 at Woodbine, was second in the Grade 2 $175,000 Connaught Cup Stakes on July 18 at Woodbine and was second in the Grade 3 $125,000 Canadian Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park on February 27. Last year, he was fourth in the Nearctic won by Silent Poet.

As for Casse's 20-1 longshot, Turned Aside, the trainer said the 5-year-old son of American Pharoah-Sustained by War Front has been a disappointment.

“He was a really talented horse last year. We've got him this year and he's been very disappointing. He's training well. It's a tough spot, but I'm going to give it a try,” Casse said.

This year, Turned Aside's best finish is a fourth in the Turf Dash Stakes at Tampa Bay in February. Turned Aside was ninth in the Grade 2 $200,000 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland on April 3 and eighth on August 22 in the Grade 1 $350,000 Highlander Stakes at Woodbine, a race won by Silent Poet.

In his career, Turned Aside has a 4-2-1 record in 12 starts for D.J. Stable LLC and West Point Thoroughbreds. Turned Aside won the Grade 3 $100,000 Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga in 2020.

FIELD FOR THE NEARCTIC

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 — Admiralty Pier — Antonio Gallardo — Barbara Minshall

2 — Reconfigure — Eswan Flores — Robert Tiller

3 — Olympic Runner — Rafael Hernandez — Mark Casse

4 — White Flag — Emma-Jayne Wilson — Roger Attfield

5 — Avie's Flatter — Luis Contreras — Josie Carroll

6 — Turned Aside — Kazushi Kimura — Mark Casse

7 — Lucky Curlin — Irad Ortiz, Jr. — Mark Casse

8 — Momos — Patrick Husbands — Michael Trombetta

9 — Town Cruise — Daisuke Fukumoto — Brandon Greer

10 — Jolie Olimpica — Joel Rosario — Josie Carroll

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9-Year-Old Canadian Champ Pink Lloyd Regains Winning Ways In Bold Venture

Sprint superstar Pink Lloyd recorded his second consecutive Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes victory, Saturday at Woodbine in Toronto, Ontario.

After two tough Bold Venture experiences, the seven-time Sovereign Award winner made it back-to-back wins in the 6 ½-furlong Tapeta race for 3-year-olds and up.

Pink Lloyd finished fifth in the 2018 running and was declared a non-starter in the 2019 edition when he broke through the starting gate early. Last year, in his third Bold Venture attempt, the Robert Tiller trainee split rivals to earn his elusive first win in the race.

On Saturday at Woodbine, Canada's Horse of the Year in 2017 was once again at his very best in the $168,900 event.

With Rafael Hernandez aboard, Pink Lloyd was in unfamiliar territory early on, as the veteran campaigner was taken to the front in a compact field of five (Reconfigure was scratched) that was devoid of early speed.

Joined to the outside by Lucky Curlin, Pink Lloyd rattled off an opening quarter in :23.83, holding a half-length advantage of over the second choice on the board. It was status quo through a half timed in :46.68, as the cat-and-mouse game between the frontrunners began to heat up around the turn for home.

Pink Lloyd, to the inside, was engaged by Lucky Curlin as the pair straightened for home, but Pink Floyd dug in gamely to fend off the strong challenge enroute to a three-quarter length victory in a time of 1:15.13.

The son of Old Forester went off as the even-money choice and returned $4.10 to win. Lucky Curlin finished second and Lookin to Strike was third.

“I just monitored to see what happens,” said Hernandez, of the early strategy. “If somebody goes crazy, I'll just sit next to him, if they don't, I'm just going to let him do his thing.

“I know he [Lucky Curlin] was breathing next to me all the way, but I trust Pink Lloyd. I said, 'When you turn for home, you're going to stretch your legs and you're going to say bye-bye.'”
It was the fourth Bold Venture title for Tiller. The Hall of Famer won in 1977 with Pres de Tu and again in 2006 with Are You Serious.

Tiller, joined by his wife Gail in the winner's circle, was emotional in the post-race interview.

“I never trained a nine-year-old stakes winner,” offered the lifetime winner of over 2,050 races. “He's still out here beating the best sprinters. I'm just so very happy today because I thought he should have won his last race [Grade 3 Vigil, on August 1 at Woodbine]. This is not his best race on the lead, that's not what he wants. He likes to run at horses. He's a very competitive horse, but we had no choice today. Raffi just rode his race. As soon as the gates opened, I knew he was going to make the lead. We didn't want to get shuffled back because there really is no speed in the race.”

Bred in Ontario by John Carey and owned by the Entourage Stable, the chestnut gelding now has 27 career wins, 24 of them stakes.

“It's an amazing story,” said Tiller. “I don't think any horse is going to come along soon and do what he's done. He's running because he's so happy. He's sounder now than he's ever been. I thank the good Lord that my wife is here to see him. This one today is very special. We're blessed to have had this horse. He's an icon.”

In other Saturday stakes action, Miss Speedy took the $141,300 Duchess, for three-year-old fillies, besting nine rivals over seven furlongs on the main track.

It was Miss Speedy, with Rafael Hernandez aboard, who emerged with the lead in a tightly-bunched group, holding a one-length advantage after a quarter timed in :22.82. The duo was still running comfortably on the front end by 1 ½-lengths after a half-mile in :45.41, as Bellissime and Sweet Souper Sweet tracked the leader.

Hernandez called on Miss Speedy around the turn, and the pair started to separate themselves from any late challengers with relative ease, maintaining their two-length advantage at the stretch call for the victory. Aug Lutes was second and Salty as Can Be, also a Casse trainee, was third.

The final time was 1:21.10.

Although the plan wasn't to go to the lead, Hernandez was content to set the pace.

“I was thinking I was going to be second, maybe third, behind two horses that show early speed,” said the champion rider. “When the gates opened, my horse was in there, and I looked inside me and said, 'No one is going to go, okay I'll take it.' And then everything was on the horse.”

It was the third win from four starts for the Mark Casse-trained filly, who launched her career with a couple of strong performances this summer for owners Gary Barber, Ryan Shane Kerbel and Barry Kerbel.

Miss Speedy arrived at the Duchess off a fourth-place finish in the Bison City Stakes, in what was her first added-money test.

The daughter of Souper Speedy paid $6.60 to win as the slight choice.

Miss Speedy was bred in Ontario by Linda Mason.

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‘Settled Down’ Shirl’s Speight Impressive Winning Marine Stakes For Attfield

Charles Fipke's homebred Shirl's Speight put on another impressive show, this time in Saturday's $125,000 Marine Stakes (Grade 3), at Woodbine in Toronto, Ontario.

After a head-turning debut in his career bow on July 4, Shirl's Speight, under leading rider Rafael Hernandez, was at the top his game again in the 1 1/16-mile Marine, for 3-year-olds.

Trained by Roger Attfield, the son of Speightstown came into the main track event off an eight-length score at seven furlongs over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Sent off as the even-money choice in the Marine, Shirl's Speight broke sharply from the outside gate and tracked pacesetter Untitled through early splits of :24.59 and :48.68.

The front-end battle continued through three-quarters in 1:12.34 as the duo further distanced themselves from their five rivals.

Shirl's Speight easily took control soon after, holding a three-length advantage at track announcer Robert Geller's stretch call, going on to record a victory that looked much easier than the 2 ¾-length margin at the wire.

Lucky Curlin, the 2-1 second choice on the tote board, was second, while Queen's Plate-eligible Dotted Line finished third. Untitled was fourth.

The final time was 1:43.42 over the Tapeta.

“Like I said before, he's a horse with a tremendous amount of ability,” said Attfield, who earned his record fifth Marine, and first since 1993 (Cheery Knight). “He just had that one race and he never learned anything from that race. He did get the experience from it, so today was going to be more interesting.”

The Hall of Fame conditioner felt confident in his horse's chances ahead of the race, and even more so after the race was underway.

“He settled down and rated. Once he got to the five-eighths pole, I was pretty sure he'd just keep galloping around there. He's a very nice horse, for sure.”

It was something Attfield discovered well before Shirl's Speight's early July debut.

“I've been excited about this horse from last year, to be honest with you. He was always the workmate with Mr. Hustle, who finished up as [2019 Canadian] champion 2-year-old, and he [Shirl's Speight] always looked like he might be the stronger of the two, and just sprinting. I said, 'He'll stay. This horse will stay.' I was pretty sure he'd stay. But I had to put him away because he got jarred up and he needed some time. I couldn't wait to get him back this spring because I've been thinking about this horse all winter.”

Shirl's Speight paid $4.10, $2.80 and $2.60, combining with Lucky Curlin ($2.80, $2.40) for a $13.10 (7-1) exactor. A 7-1-4 triactor (Dotted Line, $4.40 to show) was worth $38.95 for a $1 ticket, while a $1 Superfecta [7-1-4-6 (Untitled)] came back $108.70.

 

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Saturday’s Marine, Selene Stakes Serve As Preps For Woodbine’s Queen’s Plate, Oaks

A pair of Grade 3 events, the $125,000 Marine Stakes and $125,000 Selene Stakes, share the spotlight this Saturday at Woodbine in Toronto, Ontario.

A key prep on the road to this year's Queen's Plate (September 12, at Woodbine), the 1 1/16-mile main track Marine, for 3-year-olds, has attracted some noteworthy Canadian-breds hoping for a spot in the Plate starting gate.

Queen's Plate eligibles Dotted Line (18-1 in the Queen's Plate Winterbook), Glorious Tribute (40-1), and Perfect Revenge (40-1) are set to contest to the Marine. 

The 65th running of the Marine will be complemented by the 67th edition of the Selene, a 1 1/16-mile race over the Tapeta for 3-year-old fillies, an important fixture ahead of the Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser, on August 15. 

Merveilleux (25-1 in the Queen's Plate Winterbook) and Owlette (30-1) are among the Selene notables.  

John Oxley's homebred Lucky Curlin chases his second straight win, this time in the Marine, after a sharp score on June 14 at Woodbine.

The Mark Casse trainee, in his ninth career start and first test on the Toronto oval Tapeta, rallied from fifth at the stretch call of the seven-furlong race to win by a length under Kazushi Kimura.

It was the second win for Kentucky-bred chestnut son of Curlin, who broke his maiden last December at Fair Grounds.

The well-traveled colt, who has raced at Churchill Downs, Saratoga, Keeneland, and Fair Grounds, appears to feel right at home on the Woodbine Tapeta.

Casse hopes the trend continues.

“He's a horse that's disappointed me, to be honest. We were always thinking, 'If he ever gets his act together…' He was a horse early on that we thought was as good as Enforceable. And of course, Enforceable is going to the Kentucky Derby.

“His last race, from a Beyer standpoint, was very good. I wasn't surprised, but it was pleasant. He's been extremely frustrating for us because we've had high hopes for him. There are horses whose abilities are limited. He hasn't been that way. So, we'll see how he handles two turns. I'm still not positive that he isn't a come-from-behind sprinter. But we're going to give it a try.”

Casse's other Marine starter is Untitled, a Florida-bred son of Khozan, owned by Gary Barber and Michael Sebastian.

The bay colt is 2-3-0 in seven starts.

In his first Woodbine appearance, on June 13, Untitled was second to Newstome in the Woodstock Stakes.

“He's kind of a mystery horse,” offered Casse, who won the 2017 Marine with Souper Tapit. “He won very impressively first time out and he's run some good races. I think watching him run… we didn't have the luxury of getting a breeze over the track before his last start. He got up there and we ran him. I didn't think he cared for it that much. In fact, I was thinking about running him on the grass, but there really wasn't a grass race for him. He trained so well afterwards on the synthetic, so we thought we'd give him a try.”

 Other Marine contenders include trainer Barb Minshall's improving Glorious Tribute.

The Ontario-bred son of Congrats has one win and a pair of thirds from seven starts.

“His last race as a two-year-old [a maiden-breaking win at one mile and 70 yards on the Woodbine main track], he got a good trip and we got to stretch him out,” said Minshall. “I thought he ran really well. I took him down south all winter so I knew he was good and fit. I ran him once, on the turf, but the race was just a little too tough at that given time for him. But, I've always liked him.”

Minshall, Canada's champion trainer in 1996, remains a big fan of the dark bay.

“I wanted to make sure he was good and fit because I really had a good feeling that he would get a mile and a quarter [Queen's Plate distance]. He's got a nice stride and a good mind. He's a very laid-back horse. I'm pretty happy where he is right now. He's a big, sound horse, so I figured let's get him in, see how he is, get another race, and hopefully from that step go on to the Plate Trial [August 15] and hopefully we end at the Queen's Plate, and we've got a bit of a shot.”

Sam-Son Farm has the most Marine wins (six) for owners, while Sandy Hawley holds the riding record with five Marine crowns. The most recent horse to notch the Marine-Plate double was Shaman Ghost, who achieved the feat in 2015. Last year's winner, Global Access, went on to earn year-end divisional honours at the Sovereign Awards.

Ten Broeck Farm's Owlette, a bay daughter of Frac Daddy, goes after her fourth Woodbine stakes crown in the Selene.

The Wesley Ward trainee took last year's Shady Well and Victorian Queen, and then added another stakes title to her record with a win in this year's Star Shoot on June 13.  

Merveilleux, owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling, seeks her first added-money win in what will be her seventh start. 

The daughter of Paynter lost by a neck to Cool Shadows in last year's Princess Elizabeth and by a head to Curlin's Voyage in the Ontario Lassie.

Owlette and Merveilleux will be tested by five other rivals, including the Casse trio of American Tap, Diamond Sparkles, and Two Sixty.

A Florida-bred daughter of Uncaptured, Two Sixty, owned by Gary Barber, finished fourth in the Star Shoot Stakes.

“She's another one since that race who trained much better after being there for a little while,” noted Casse.

Diamond Sparkles, a Kentucky-bred daughter of War Front, made her North American debut in last year's Grade 1 Natalma Stakes, finishing fourth to Abscond.

The bay's most recent race, seven furlongs on the Woodbine main track on June 13, yielded a second-place finish.

“She came over from Europe, ran pretty good in the Natalma, and then struggled a little bit through the winter,” said Casse, of the filly owned by Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. “I thought her last race was good and she's training well. We're going to give her a shot.”

American Tap, bred by Tall Oaks Farm, is also owned by Barber.

Casse and Barber teamed to take the past two runnings of the Selene. Miss Mo Mentum won in 2018, while Power Gal was victorious last year.

A victory by any Casse starter would tie him with Yonnie Starr for the most Selene wins by a trainer, with six.

The Marine is Race 3 on Saturday's 10-race card and the Selene is scheduled as Race 8. First post time is 1 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com.

FIELD FOR THE $125,000 GRADE 3 MARINE
POST – HORSE – JOCKEY – TRAINER
1 – Lucky Curlin – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse
2 – Glorious Tribute – Leo Salles – Barbara Minshall
3 – Lookinatamiracle – Patrick Husbands – Sandra Dominguez
4 – Dotted Line (S) – Justin Stein – Sid Attard
5 – Perfect Revenge – Daisuke Fukumoto – John Charalambous
6 – Untitled – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse
7 – Shirl's Speight – Rafael Hernandez – Roger Attfield 

FIELD FOR THE $125,000 GRADE 3 SELENE
POST – HORSE – JOCKEY – TRAINER
1 – Owlette – Luis Contreras – Wesley Ward
2 – Saratoga Vision – Simon Husbands – Alexander Patykewich
3 – Livin in the Six – Justin Stein – Mike De Paulo
4 – Diamond Sparkles (S) – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse
5 – American Tap – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse
6 – Two Sixty – Emma-Jayne-Wilson – Mark Casse
7 – Merveilleux – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard

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