Mark Casse | Horse Racing Free Tips

Wonder Wheel and Forte Collect 2-Year-Old Eclipse Awards

Breeders' Cup Juvenile races produced both the 2-year-old filly and colt champions, with Wonder Wheel taking the filly statue and Forte leading the colts.

WONDER WHEEL
Each spring, as most trainers get their promising 2-year-olds ready to begin their careers, invariably one or two (or maybe more, depending on the conditioner) of these youngsters stand out. And just as invariably, these trainers hold their breath and cross everything they can cross to help ensure everything goes right enough that the end result–a Breeders' Cup win–produces the ultimate result–the Eclipse Award.

For Hall of Fame conditioner Mark Casse, Wonder Wheel was that horse in 2022. Some trainers cautiously follow the old idiom of playing cards close to their vest, but not Casse. Nobody didn't know how he felt about Wonder Wheel early on.

“This summer I was saying she's my next Classic Empire,” Casse said, comparing the daughter of Into Mischief to his 2016 juvenile champion. “And where I was putting her, why I was putting her in that category was he won our first 2-year-old Breeders' Cup. And I thought that she was that good. I told anybody who would listen.”

With one notable exception, Wonder Wheel turned in a classic championship-style season which garnered her two Grade I wins.

After breaking her maiden at first asking back in June, her first foray into stakes company produced a 6 3/4-length win in the Listed Debutante S. at Churchill Downs on Independence Day. That dominant performance earned her a spot in the GI Spinaway S. gate at Saratoga two months later and, though it wasn't the smoothest of trips for the filly that day–some would say she ran “greenly”–she still managed a decent runner-up finish to fellow Eclipse Award finalist Leave No Trace (Outwork).

She was a 4-1 lukewarm favorite in the GI Darley Aclibiades S. at Keeneland Oct. 7 in her next start and had to work for it, barely holding off the highly regarded Chop Chop (City of Light) by a diminishing nose in that wire-to-wire performance. And by the time those two met again in the Breeders' Cup, she was a 6-1 fourth choice while her Alcibiades runner-up carried favoritism.

And in a somewhat surprising move that day, Wonder Wheel wasn't anywhere near her preferred spot as the leader or among them, she was in front of just two rivals in the early going. In an effort expected from older runners rather than lightly raced 2-year-olds, the bay filly saved ground in the early going, quietly gained on her rivals on the turn, snuck through the narrowest of gaps at the quarter pole, took advantage with an eighth left to run and stormed home to win by three lengths.

“Two-year-olds can't do what she did. It's just very difficult to come from out of it,” Casse said. “She, on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being absolute class, she's a 10.”

Wonder Wheel is owned by Len and Lois Green's D J Stables, which also campaigned 2018 Breeders' Cup Juvenile fillies winner Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) in partnership with Cash Is King Stable. Len Green is a CPA and lecturer at Babson College and a graduate of the Harvard Business School. He regularly writes and lectures on financial issues affecting horse owners. He is undoubtedly an expert on profits and losses, rewards and risks. The next big risk for Wonder Wheel could perhaps be taking on the boys in the GI Kentucky Derby.

“I'm sure we'll be nominating,” Casse said.

Wonder Wheel was given a couple months off over the winter and has been back to work at Casse's Florida training center, with a 2023 debut yet to be determined.

-Margaret Ransom

FORTE
He may not have been the most expensive of the 43 yearlings Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola bought out of the 2021 Keeneland September sale when the hammer fell at $110,000 that day, but Forte certainly can claim the title of most successful when he capped off an impressive year by collecting the Eclipse Award trophy as the best 2-year-old colt or gelding of 2022.

Much has been made of the colt's name, which means “strong” in Italian and follows the Italian-themed pattern of names for other top Repole/St. Elias runners, like champion and 2019 GI Breeders' Cup Classic hero Vino Rosso (Curlin). But another meaning says the word denotes, “something in which one excels; a peculiar talent or faculty; a strong point or side; chief excellence.” Not much to argue against that meaning, either, where Forte is concerned.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who conditioned 2010 champion juvenile Uncle Mo for Repole and also Forte's sire, selected the colt for one primary reason.

“He looks like Violence,” Repole said.

Forte was the 1-5 favorite in his debut at Belmont Park May 27 off some incredible works and backstretch buzz, and he ran to his odds, dominating his opponents by 7 3/4 lengths to earn the 'TDN Rising Star' moniker. He also justifiably earned his position as a leading force to be reckoned with in the 2-year-old stakes ranks on the East Coast. For a little while, anyway.

As is more common than not with growing and maturing juveniles, that rolling boil of excitement cooled to a simmer when he turned in an unexpected and well-beaten fourth-place finish as the favorite in his stakes debut in the GIII Sanford S. at Saratoga July 16. His connections offered no excuses and continued to look ahead, the year-end goal of the Breeders' Cup always within their crosshairs.

Finding some added distance and a wet track to his liking for his next start, as well as no pressure as the near 7-1 fourth choice, was all he needed to put in a three-length romp in the sloppy GI Hopeful S. and return to the rank as the best 2-year-old based in New York.

While the logical and typical next move for the leading colt on the right coast as a last prep for the Breeders' Cup would have been the GI Champagne S. at Belmont Park, Forte's connections decided to call an audible since the Breeders' Cup would be held at Keeneland, choosing instead to use the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity as a springboard to the World Championships. Dismissed as the near 9-2 second choice, he rolled from way back to earn a neck win over 7-5 favorite Loggins (Ghostzapper).

Despite his impressive fall campaign of two Grade I wins, on Future Stars Friday, Forte was the 5-1 second choice to the highly regarded Bob Baffert-trained dual Grade I winner Cave Rock (Arrogate) at 2-5 when the gates sprung open. And just as it looked as though the win–as well as divisional honors–were slipping away as his chief rival led the field into the stretch, Forte found another gear and dug in, running down the favorite in deep stretch in a thrilling 1 1/2-length victory.

Forte turned in his first work as a 3-year-old, going an easy three furlongs at Palm Beach Downs Jan. 21. He is expected to make his 2023 bow in the GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park Mar. 4 and then use GI Florida Derby Apr. 1 or GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland Apr. 8 as his final prep for the May 6 GI Kentucky Derby.

Early Impressions…
“I thought he was a gorgeous foal. I was really happy with him. I had had weanlings by Violence that I had pinhooked–I bought weanlings and sold yearlings–and I liked them, but they didn't really resemble the sire at all. So I was pleased to get a foal in Forte that looks a lot like Violence. He's a good blend of his sire and his dam.”
-Amy Moore, South Gate Farm Owner and Founder

–-Margaret Ransom

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Tapit Colt on Top at OBS Winter Mixed Sale

A colt by Tapit (hip 42) attracted the highest bid of $225,000 during Tuesday's open session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Winter Mixed and Horses of Racing Age Sale when New York conditioner Dave Cannizzo outlasted trainer Mark Casse for the short yearling, who was consigned by Stuart Morris.

“He's the only horse I bid on today,” Cannizzo said Tuesday afternoon. “He was a standout. It's what we came here to do and we did it. We got in a little dogfight with Mark Casse, but we won the battle. We were well within ourselves at the $225,000 and we didn't mind giving it.”

Cannizzo purchased the yearling's half-brother by Uncle Mo for $230,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale and came to Ocala specifically to add another member of the family.

“Obviously, Tapit brings a ton of interest to the table,” Cannizzo said of the yearling's appeal. “We purchased his now 2-year-old brother at Keeneland September and we really like him, so it pushed us in the right direction. He was a standout at the sale today. We knew we had to get him.”

Cannizzo said he purchased both brothers for the same client.

“[The yearling] will probably end up in the Saratoga sale or back at Keeneland September and we will go from there,” Cannizzo said. “I'm not sure about the other one–it's all up in the air. I bought them for a client who does some pinhooking and he races, too. We will see how it all unfolds and how it turns out.”

The yearling, who was bred by Aaron Sones, is out of Heat Street (Street Cry {Ire}), an unraced half-sister to multiple stakes winner Dash of Humor (Distorted Humor). The mare is also the dam of stakes-placed Miss Boom Boom (Run Away and Hide).

Tuesday's return to the sales ring was a quick turnaround for the colt, who was purchased for $70,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale just over two months ago.

“He was purchased by a partnership of Ocala horsemen who purchased him to resell,” Morris said of the colt. “He was maybe in an awkward stage, maybe a bit immature in November, but he was heading in the right direction. He was a lovely colt who vetted well and looks like he'll make a nice racehorse.”

Morris said the market in Ocala–away from the pinhookers who were prevalent in Kentucky in November–may have helped produce the nifty profit Tuesday.

“I think he caught a good market with two end-users hooking up on him,” Morris said. “Mark Casse was the underbidder and he's always very aggressive down there buying horses for his racing program.”

During the consignor preferred session, 96 head sold for $2,601,700. The average was $27,101 and the median was $19,000.

At the close of business of last year's consignor preferred session, before the addition of post-sale transactions, 99 horses sold for a gross of $3,074,300. The average was $21,499 and the median was $10,000.

Hip 42 was one of two six-figure offerings during the consignor preferred section of Tuesday's sale. A colt from the first crop of Gunnevera (hip 29), consigned by Danielle Loya's Silver Oaks Farm, was purchased for $100,000 by Machmer Hall.

Riptide Rock (Point of Entry) (hip 342), part of a group of 11 supplemented horses owned by Stronach Stables and consigned by Richard Kent's Kaizen Sales, brought the highest price during the horses of racing age section of Tuesday's sale when bringing a final bid of $72,000 from Ocala horseman Randy Miles.

A 5-year-old gelding, Riptide Rock was second in the 2021 Queen's Plate and GIII Ontario Derby. He was seventh in the Nov. 6 GII Autumn S. in his most recent trip to the post for trainer Sid Attard.

The OBS Winter Mixed sale continues with an open session which begins Wednesday at noon.

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Op/Ed: The Status Quo is Not An Option

Over the last few months, I have read and heard numerous concerns about HISA's involvement in the thoroughbred industry. Purported issues range from, “we don't need the government in our business” to, “these new rules are too burdensome,” to “they should have asked horsemen to be involved in the rulemaking.”

I believe most of those complaints come from a place of misunderstanding about what HISA is trying to accomplish and also how imperative it is to our livelihood that we have a centralized set of rules.

As someone fortunate enough to be in direct communication with HISA, I wanted to take a few minutes to provide you with my insight.

First and foremost, HISA's biggest concern is the welfare of the HORSE, thus the reason for better health records, vaccinations, etc. I understand those requirements are burdensome and adds extra administrative work to our plates. As a trainer of a large training operation racing in two countries, I personally can attest to the difficulties of collecting this type of data. However, the rationale behind this is to protect you as a trainer, the one who has ultimate responsibility for the actions of the employees in your shed row.

Let's also address the new testing procedures. What excites me the most about HISA is the way the new testing procedures will be conducted, with one collective set of rules (versus running with different rules from state to state and sometimes from track to track). Included in this unified rule set is that drug positives will no longer be treated as “black and white.” The Horse Integrity Welfare Unit has the authority and flexibility to decide if a positive sample occurred via trace contamination. Trainers will avoid paying fines and getting suspended over environmental contagions. The new rules should also relieve trainers of being falsely accused and sentenced in the court of public appeal. The goal is to also simultaneously deter true cheaters, who will now be admonished quickly and decisively.

I recently attended my second advisory board meeting for HISA and came away from it more convinced than ever that it's what we as a sport, need to not only prosper but, to survive. We cannot continue to let cheaters be rewarded. We have seen two of the biggest names in our game charged for not playing by the rules. In my opinion that is just the tip of the iceberg. Anyone who believes that our industry doesn't need cleaning up doesn't live in reality.

Here's the unfortunate reality of our sport: The public is losing faith in our product, our foal crop is shrinking, we are politically toxic, influential non-profit organizations are publicly protesting outside our gates, and racetracks are closing. So if we want our business to continue for another generation, we need to change. If you have a better option and/or actual strategies on how to improve the system, I am all ears. Call, text, email or grab me by the arm the next time you see me-I relish the opportunity to make our sport better.

Unlike what some people think, the status quo is not an option to enable our industry to survive.

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Kimura, Casse Win 2022 Woodbine Titles

Eclipse and Sovereign Award winner Kazushi Kimura earned his second consecutive Woodbine jockey crown at the recently concluded Woodbine Thoroughbred meet with 152 wins. Overall his mounts earned $8.9 million (CDN).

Born in Hokkaido, Japan, Kimura joined the Woodbine jockey colony as a 19-year-old apprentice in 2018. He finished his first Woodbine campaign sixth in the standings with 89 wins and his mounts totaled more than $2.3 million in earnings which earned him an Eclipse Award as North America's outstanding apprentice jockey. He also took home the Sovereign Award as top apprentice in both 2018 and 2019, and was Canada's outstanding journeyman rider in 2021.

This year, Kimura won 15 stakes–six graded–at the Toronto oval, including the GI E.P. Taylor with Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) and the GII King Edward aboard Filo Di Arianna (Brz) (Karakontie {Jpn}).

Rafael Hernandez, who finished second with 122 wins, led the way with 17 stakes victories, including the Queen's Plate (to be known starting in 2023 for the first time in more than 70 years as the King's Plate) with the Kevin Attard-trained Moira (Ghostzapper).

Mark Casse topped the trainer leaderboard for the 14th time, saddling 119 winners and banking $9.9 million (CDN) in purse earnings. Casse-trained runners recorded 22 Woodbine stakes victories–13 of them graded.

Al and Bill Ulwelling were the leading money-winning owner of the meet for the first time with $1.6 million (CDN) in purses. Bruno Schickedanz led all owners with 45 wins.

Epilogue and Who's the Star led all horses with five wins each at the meet.

Live Thoroughbred racing will return to Woodbine next spring. Visit woodbine.com throughout the winter for news, notes, features, and other coverage of Woodbine-based horse people.

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