Mark Casse | Horse Racing Free Tips

The TDN Kentucky Oaks Top 10 for Feb. 11

In the month since we last served up a TDN Kentucky Oaks Top 10, there have been a number of stakes for 3-year-old fillies, but not a lot of movement on our list. Sun Path (Munnings) drops off the list after a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Silverbulletday and we'll wait to include Girl Daddy (Uncle Mo) until she has her first official workout in 2021. Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) came out of last weekend looking like the top threat from the West after her win in the GIII Las Virgenes S., but has been sidelined with a knee chip. Charlie's Penny (Race Day), the winner of the Silverbulletday S., is also off the trail after suffering a hairline fracture in her shin.
Fair Grounds will host the GIII Rachel Alexandra S. Presented by Fasig-Tipton this Saturday, which features the return of the Brad Cox-trained Travel Column (Frosted). Meanwhile, the GII Davona Dale S., to be run Feb. 27 at Gulfstream, is shaping up as the best 3-year-old filly race so far this year with several members of the Top 10 slated to take part.

1) VEQUIST (Nyquist–Vero Amore, by Mineshaft)
O-Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable & Swilcan Stable. B-Swilcan Stables (KY). T-Robert E. Reid, Jr. Sales History: $120,000 RNA ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 4-2-2-0, $1,235,500.
Last Start: 1st GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, KEE, Nov. 6
Accomplishments Include: 1st GI Spinaway S., SAR, Sept. 6, 2nd GI Frizette S., BEL, Oct. 10
Next Start: GII Davona Dale S., GP, Feb. 27
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 24
To the surprise of no one, Vequist was named the champion 2-year-old filly of 2020 when the Eclipse Awards were announced last month. She wrapped up the title when winning the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies over rival Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief). She'll attempt to become the first horse to pull off the Breeders' Cup-Kentucky Oaks double since Silverbulletday, the 1999 Oaks winner. After giving his filly some time off over the winter, trainer Butch Reid has started to get serious with her in the mornings. She's had three listed workouts this year at Palm Meadows, the latest five furlongs in 1:00.95, and will breeze again Saturday. It won't take long to tell how she has progressed since winning the Juvenile Fillies, as she will need to be at her very best to win what will be a loaded Davona Dale.

2) DAYOUTOFTHEOFFICE (Into Mischief–Gottahaveadream, by Indian Charlie)
O-Blazing Meadows Farm & Siena Farm. B-Siena Farms (KY). T-Timothy Hamm. Lifetime Record: GISW, 4-3-1-0, $556,500.
Last Start: 2nd GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, KEE, Nov. 6
Accomplishments Include: 1st GI Frizette S., BEL, Oct. 10, 1st GIII Schuylerville S., SAR, July 16
Next Start: Undecided
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 18
Dayoutoftheoffice returned to the Tampa Bay Downs barn of Tim Hamm last month and breezed five furlongs there Jan. 24 in 1:01. Hamm does most of his winning at B and C level tracks like Mahoning Valley, which makes him easy to root for when he goes up against the Bafferts and Pletchers of the world. Her team reports that they have yet to decide on this one's next start. She hasn't had a work since the Jan. 24 move, which is a concern, but the connections say the Oaks remains a goal.

3) TRAVEL COLUMN (Frosted–Swingit, by Victory Gallop)
'TDN Rising Star' O-OXO Equine. B-Mr. & Mrs. Bayne Welker, Jr. & Denali Stud (KY). T-Brad Cox. Sales History: $850,000 ylg '19 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 3-2-0-1, $209,184.
Last Start: 1st GII Golden Rod S., CD, Nov. 28
Accomplishments Include: 3rd GI Darley Alcibiades S., KEE, Oct. 2
Next Start: GII Rachel Alexandra S. presented by Fasig-Tipton, FG, Feb. 13
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 12
Since his emergence as a top trainer, Brad Cox has always been loaded with 3-year-old filly talent and has won the Kentucky Oaks twice in the last three years. Travel Column appears to be his best filly at this point. After running third, beaten 7 1/2 lengths in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. in October, she fared much better when winning the GII Golden Rod S. She goes next in Saturday's Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds, which should be a good test as she headlines a solid field that includes Golden Rod runner-up Clairiere (Curlin). An $850,000 yearling purchase at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, she is by Frosted out of a Victory Gallop mare and should have no problem getting the Oaks distance of nine furlongs.

4) MALATHAAT (Curlin–Dreaming of Julia, by A.P. Indy)
'TDN Rising Star' O-Shadwell Stable. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Sales History: $1,050,000 ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-0-0, $172,150.
Last Start: 1st GII Demoiselle S., AQU, Dec. 5
Accomplishments Include: 1st Tempted S., AQU, Nov. 6
Next Start: GII Davona Dale S., GP, Feb. 27
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 10
There's a lot to like about the daughter of Curlin who was a $1.05-million yearling buy. Trained by Todd Pletcher, she is undefeated in three starts and has already won at a 1 1/8 miles, which she did in the GII Demoiselle S. The main knock on her is that she isn't that fast. She got a 76 Beyer in the Demoiselle, a slight decline from the 83 she got when winning the Tempted S. She will get a serious test in the Davona Dale and if she were to win that, she'd likely assume the top spot in this and other polls.

5) ZAAJEL (Street Sense–Asiya, by Daaher)
O/B-Shadwell Stable (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Lifetime Record: GSW, 2-2-0-0, $84,140.
Last Start: 1st GIII Forward Gal S., GP, Jan. 31
Next Start: Undecided.
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 10.
Like Malathaat, she comes from the team of Todd Pletcher and Shadwell Stable. A homebred, her dam has had four winners from five starters, but Zaajel is her first stakes winner. After toying with her opponents in her debut, she came back to win the GIII Forward Gal S. at Gulfstream at seven furlongs. She still has to prove that she can win around two turns, but based on her breeding that probably won't be a problem. Pletcher said he has not picked out the next start for this filly. It's likely he will want to keep her and Malathaat apart.

6) SIMPLY RAVISHING (Laoban–Four Wishes, by More Than Ready)
O-Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing & Nehoc Stables. B-Meg Levy (NY). T-Ken McPeek. Sales History: $50,000 ylg '19 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: GISW, 5-3-0-0, $414,200.
Last Start: 4th GII Golden Rod S., CD, Nov. 28
Accomplishments Include: 1st GI Darley Alcibiades S., KEE, Oct. 2, 1st P.G. Johnson S., SAR, Sept. 3
Next Start: Undecided
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 13
Trainer Kenny McPeek seems to be taking his time with this filly. He has yet to announce her first start and she only recently showed up on the work tab. Her first work came last week and it was a four-furlong breeze in :48.89. A $50,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling sale, she appeared to be among the best in her division when winning the GI Darley Alcibiades S. by 6 1/4 lengths, but, subsequently finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and the Golden Rod. McPeek will need to get her to rebound and run back to her best races to have a shot at winning the Oaks.

7) KALYPSO (Brody's Cause–Malibu Cove, by Malibu Moon)
O-David A. Bernsen, Rockingham Ranch & Chad Littlefield. B-Spendthrift Farm (KY). T-Bob Baffert. Sales History: $240,000 ylg '19 FTKJUL. Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 5-2-2-1, $245,600.
Last Start: 2nd GIII Las Virgenes S., SA, Feb. 6
Accomplishments Include: 1st GII Santa Ynez S., SA, Jan. 3, 1st Anoakia S., SA, Oct. 18, 2nd GI Starlet S., LRC, Dec. 5
Next Start: Undecided.
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 18
A $240,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale, she was somewhat of a disappointment when second as the 7-10 favorite in the Las Virgenes. But with race winner Moonlight d'Oro having been sidelined, Kalypso looks as good as any of the fillies based in California. But that might not be enough as that group looks to be weaker than the groups in the East and Midwest. She's been beaten the only two times she has gone around two turns, so that is a concern.

8) SLUMBER PARTY (Malibu Moon–Devilish Lady, by Sweetsouthernsaint)
'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Gary and Mary West Stables (KY). T-Kelly Breen. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $25,800.
Last Start: 1st MSW, GP, Jan. 24
Next Start: Undecided.
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 0.
The 'TDN Rising Star' snuck up on a lot of people when breaking her maiden Jan. 24 at Gulfstream by 7 1/2 lengths for trainer Kelly Breen and owners Gary and Mary West. Sent off at 5-1, she absolutely demolished the competition that day, winning in a manner that suggests there is a lot more to come. It's not impossible to have your first start in January and then go on to win the Kentucky Oaks, but she has a lot of catching up to do. She looks like Breen's best 3-year-old filly since he won the GII Gazelle S. and the Davona Dale in 2017 with Miss Sky Warrior (First Samurai).

9) CURLIN'S CATCH (Curlin–Catch the Thrill, by A.P. Indy)
O-Breeze Easy, Inc. B-Sam-Son Farm (On). T-Mark E Casse. Sales History: $180,000 yrl '19 KEESEP; $430,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: SW, 4-2-1-0, $103,454.
Last Start: 1st Suncoast S., TAM, Feb. 6
Next Start: GII Davona Dale S., GP, Feb. 27
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 10.
Another Curlin filly and an Ontario-bred trained by Mark Casse, she started her career off at Woodbine, where she was 0-for-2 over the synthetic surface. Since switching to dirt, she's 2-for-2, including a win in the Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs. She probably didn't beat much that day, but looks like a horse on an upper trajectory for trainer Casse and the team at Breeze Easy LLC. She's about to get a serious test in the Davona Dale and will be looking to give the Hall of Fame trainer his first Oaks win. Might also, eventually, wind up in the Queen's Plate S.

10) THE GRASS IS BLUE (Broken Vow–Shine Softly, by Adebaran)
O-Louis Lazzinnaro LLC. B-Phillips Racing Partnership (KY). T-Chad Brown. Sales History: $20,000 yrl '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: SW, 5-3-0-1, $121,978.
Last Start: 1st Busanda S., Aqu, Jan. 24
Accomplishments Include: 3rd Anne Arundel County S., Lrl, Dec. 26.
Next Start: Undecided.
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 10.
Just a $20,000 yearling buy who debuted in a $25,000 maiden claimer at Monmouth for trainer Jose Delgado, she has come a long way. She now finds herself in the barn of Chad Brown, who got her to win the Busanda S. at Aqueduct in her last start. She remains with Brown's division in New York and will likely target races like the Gazelle S. This is not normally a division where Brown is strong, but this filly may be good enough for him to make some noise on the way to the Oaks.

The post The TDN Kentucky Oaks Top 10 for Feb. 11 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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‘One Step At A Time’: Undefeated Maxfield Stars In Fair Grounds’ Mineshaft

Maxfield is finally getting the chance to make up for lost time. Godolphin's homebred was forced to miss the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) in 2019 and the Kentucky Derby (G1) last year but returned with aplomb in winning the local Tenacious to close out 2020. Saturday he starts as a prohibitive favorite in the $200,000 Mineshaft (G3) at 1 1/16 miles, which should serve as a perfect launching pad for what his connections hope will finally be a season-long campaign.

The Mineshaft is a worthy supporting feature on a six stakes, 13-race card dubbed “Louisiana Derby Day Preview Day”, which is highlighted by the $400,000 Risen Star (G2), presented by Lamarque Ford-Lincoln, and the $300,000 Rachel Alexandra (G2), presented by Fasig-Tipton. The Risen Star is by far the deepest and most competitive Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) prep to date and will offer a total of 85 Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers (50-20-10-5). The Rachel Alexandra will be offered for 3-year-old fillies, with the same 85 qualifying points up for grabs for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).

The Mineshaft, Rachel Alexandra & Risen Star are all part of the “All Stakes Late Pick Five” (races 9-13) with an estimated pool of $400,000 and the “All Stakes Late Pick Four” (races 10-13) with an estimated pool of $750,000.

Trainer Brendan Walsh has had to endure some obvious disappointments with Maxfield (post 4 at 4-5 on Mike Diliberto's morning line, with Florent Geroux to ride), a 4-year-old son of Street Sense who is perfect in four starts and has long thought to be among the most talented horses in training. Showing it in the afternoon has proven to be a bit more difficult, as he's started just four times in what is now his third season of racing. Maxfield missed the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with a minor foot injury and then got derailed off the Derby Trail last year when he came out of a June workout with a condylar fracture of his right front cannon bone.

Walsh regrouped, aimed for 2021, and checked off the first box when Maxfield returned in the Dec. 19 Tenacious and won easily by 2 ½ lengths. He also did it being much closer to the lead. He settled in second early, which was in sharp contrast to his first three wins, when he was no closer than eighth at the first pace call. For Walsh, the adaptability Maxfield showed only added another club to his bag.

“He broke good, he was right outside the pace horse, and it worked out good,” Walsh said. “He's a horse that doesn't need to be ridden any particular way, he's very easy to rate as well. If someone wants to go quick, that's fine, we can sit off of them as well. We can ride him any way the race suits.”

The Mineshaft will also be just the second time Maxfield has been able to put back-to-back races together. He did it to start his career, winning on debut at Churchill in September 2019 before blasting Grade 1 foes by 5 ½ lengths in Keeneland's Breeders' Futurity a month later. Maxfield won the Matt Winn (G3) at Churchill in June before his injury, then was off until the Tenacious. Needless to say, Walsh is looking forward to getting his stable star on an extended run for the first time in his career.

“I'm excited that we can get him on a schedule and build a foundation,” Walsh said. “The succession of the races is relatively close so you don't have to be as hard as them as you probably do going into the first race (off a layoff). Hopefully he can get into a nice little mode from here on in and we can keep ticking over. I think he'll improve for having had that first run. He was a little fresh too. And fitness-wise he should improve as well with that run off the bench.”

As with any trainer with a star horse, Walsh is left to balance the present with the future. Add in a horse like Maxfield, and the highwire becomes that much trickier to cross. Walsh expects to know a lot more after the Mineshaft.

“He's taught me not to look too far ahead but I have plenty of things going around in my head,” Walsh said in regards to the rest of his campaign. “You try to take it one step at a time. Saturday is going to be a big step for the horse. We'll get a great idea where we stand with him and where we are going forward.”

John Oxley's Enforceable (post 1 at 6-1 with Adam Beschizza) won the local Lecomte (G3) last year and was eventually seventh in the Kentucky Derby for trainer Mark Casse. The 4-year-old son of Tapit never could quite get back to his local win, as he lost six straight, though four came against the best of his generation. Enforceable put that all behind him Jan. 17, when he dazzled winning a local optional-claimer by eight lengths in extremely fast time, which has Casse's Fair Grounds assistant Dave Carroll eagerly looking forward to the Mineshaft with a horse that's been a barn favorite.

“He's loves the Fair Grounds and he's been near and dear to us with all the big races like the Kentucky Derby that he's taken us to,” Carroll said. “We were so proud of him last time; we weren't expecting that. Can he reproduce that back-to-back? We'll have to see but he's really doing well and we're looking forward to it.”

Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Clint and Lance Gasaway's Wells Bayou (post 2 at 6-1 with John Velazquez) should improve off a third-place finish in the local Jan. 16 Louisiana (G3), as that was his first start since running fifth in Oaklawn Park's Arkansas Derby (G1) last May. The 4-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky wired the Louisiana Derby (G2) last year for trainer Brad Cox, who expects to see a tighter version of Wells Bayou Saturday, who has been training with Cox's talented 3-year-old Mandaloun, one of the favorites in the Risen Star.

“He had a fantastic move (on the 6th) working a bullet with Mandaloun and I'm excited about running him,” Cox said. “He should move forward, but he'll have to move way forward to beat a horse like Maxfield.”

Calumet Farm's homebred Blackberry Wine (post 7 at 5-1 with Gabriel Saez) set a slow pace and held second in the Louisiana and has finally been able to string a few strong races together. The 4-year-old son of Oxbow has flashed plenty of brilliance throughout his career for trainer Joe Sharp but has had trouble backing it up. Blackberry Wine romped in an optional-claimer here in December prior to the strong run in the Louisiana, which signals he could be poised for another strong effort in a race without a lot of early speed. He is cross-entered in the Fair Grounds on turf (race 11).

Completing the Mineshaft field from the rail out: the Estate of James Coleman Jr.'s Chess Chief (post 3 at 8-1 with James Graham), who won an optional-claimer here December 18 for trainer Dallas Stewart; Al Rashid Stables' Dinar (post 5 at 15-1 with Shaun Bridgmohan), third in the Tenacious for trainer Cherie DeVaux; and Courtlandt Farms' Sonneman (post 6 at 8-1 with Joe Talamo), second in the Tenacious and fourth in the Louisiana for trainer Steve Asmussen.

First post for Saturday's 13-race “Louisiana Derby Preview Day” card will be at noon CT.

The post ‘One Step At A Time’: Undefeated Maxfield Stars In Fair Grounds’ Mineshaft appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Curlin Filly Bosses Rivals in Suncoast

Favored at 9-5 while making her return to stakes company in Saturday's Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs, Breeze Easy's Curlin's Catch (Curlin) split horses decisively at the entrance to the home stretch and powered clear to score by daylight.

Beaten for speed in a scratched-down field of seven, the Ontario-bred raced slightly worse than midfield through the opening stages with a couple of rivals behind. Ridden quietly down the backstretch, she caught the eye when rallying between rivals three furlongs out, took an inside path into the lane and ran out a convincing winner. Pacesetting Be Sneaky (Into Mischief) set a moderate tempo and held for second ahead of Il Malocchio (Souper Speedy) in third.

A debut second two-turning over the Woodbine synthetic Oct. 11, the Sam-Son-bred filly was a low-odds fifth in the restricted Princess Elizabeth S. Oct. 31 before getting some time off. The $180,000 KEESEP yearling turned $440,000 OBSAPR breezer made her first appearance on the dirt in a one-mile event at Gulfstream Jan. 3, leading throughout to score by 2 3/4 lengths.

Curlin's Catch is one of three winners from six to race from her dam, Canada's Sovereign Award-winning juvenile filly of 2006. The winner, the 74th at stakes level for her sire, is bred on the very potent cross over A.P. Indy-line mares that has been responsible for the likes of champion Stellar Wind, other Grade I winners Global Campaign and Paris Lights and other graded winners Tenfold, Point of Honor and Malathaat. Catch the Thrill, who RNAd for $180,000 at KEENOV in 2018, produced a full-sister to Curlin's Catch in 2019. She was most recently bred to Curlin's Grade I-winning son Connect.

SUNCOAST S., $100,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 2-6, 3yo, f, 1m 40y, 1:40.89, ft.
1–CURLIN'S CATCH, 118, f, 3, by Curlin
1st Dam: Catch the Thrill (Ch. 2yo Filly-Can, SW, $290,167), by A.P. Indy
1nd Dam: Catch the Ring, by Seeking the Gold
3rd Dam: Radiant Ring, by Halo
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. ($180,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $430,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR). O-Breeze Easy LLC; B-Sam-Son Farm (ON); T-Mark E Casse; J-Antonio A Gallardo. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0, $103,454. *1/2 to Chic Thrill (Smart Strike), SP, $159,375.
2–Be Sneaky, 118, f, 3, Into Mischief–Bella Castani, by Big Brown. O-Lael Stables; B-M Roy Jackson (KY); T-Arnaud Delacour. $20,000.
3–Il Malocchio, 118, f, 3, Souper Speedy–Egbert Bay, by Sligo Bay (Ire). O/B-Franco S Meli (ON); T-Kenneth G McPeek. $10,000.
Margins: 4HF, HF, 3/4. Odds: 1.80, 4.80, 4.00.
Also Ran: Special Princess, Feeling Mischief, Roll Up Mo Money, Scenic Overlook. Scratched: Gulf Coast, Honorifique, Jade Empress.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Houston Racing Festival Celebrates Record Handle Of $5.3 Million

While the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic and the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf may have attracted the greatest interest from the media and the national racing audience, there were impressive performances in the four Houston Racing Festival undercard stakes. The Houston Racing Festival 10-race card set a handle record for the track with $5.3 million wagered.

“We are thrilled with the success of this year's Houston Racing Festival and setting a record handle of $5.3 million,” said Frank Hopf, Senior Director of Racing. “It was a team effort from everyone at Sam Houston and our thanks go out to all the horsemen and owners for supporting our meet. This would not be possible without our horseplayers, both here in Texas and nationally. It was a great day!”

In the day's running of the $200,000 Texas Turf Mile, Palazzi emerged as the photo finish winner of the one-mile turf route to win his stakes debut. The 3-year-old Pioneerof the Nile colt stalked from mid-pack and closed swiftly in the stretch to defeat a full field of ten with a time of 1:36.89.

Palazzi is owned by Mark Oxley and trained by Mark Casse; Declan Carroll had the call on the colt for the first time.

'I have to thank Mark Casse and Mr. Oxley; it was huge,” said Carroll, who is the son of David Carroll. “The horse was training well and gained a lot of confidence at Fair Grounds. I was in a beautiful position, saved ground all the way, relaxed nicely and kicked home.”

With two wins in six career starts, Palazzi ($7.00) has earned $158,520 and is undefeated on the turf after breaking his maiden in his most recent start at the Fair Grounds.

“This horse came to Fair Grounds after his debut at Keeneland,” said Shane Tripp, who saddled for Casse. “A lot of the credit goes to David Carroll and his wife, Kim, as Palazzi really got comfortable and won his last [on December 19]. Declan saved ground and finished well on him today. We ran Jack and Noah in this race last year and think it's a great race for these 3-year-old turf horses.”

Excess Magic finished a nose behind Palazzi in second place for trainer Bret Calhoun with Miguel Mena aboard. Longshot Dyn O Mite threatened and led briefly in the stretch before finishing third. Fighting Force, Catman, Texas Bad Boy, Flash of Mischief, Bobby Brinkley, Red N Wild and Invincibility completed the order of finish.

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