Tag: norm casse

Cardiac Death at Saratoga, Saez Transported to Hospital

Norm Casse trainee Burning Bright (Empire Maker) crashed through the temporary rail in Wednesday's race 7 at Saratoga, the 1 1/58-mile John's Call S. on the grass, with all early reports indicating the 6-year-old gelding, who collapsed and died, sustained a probable cardiac event. The Equibase chart stated Burning Bright “suffered a fatal cardiac event on the second turn and hit the rail then fell.”

Jockey Luis Saez was alert and conscious following the spill, but was strapped to a backboard by attending paramedics and sent by ambulance to Albany Medical Center with pain in his shoulder/collarbone area.

An official statement from a New York Racing Association (NYRA) spokesman said, “During the running of Race 7 on Wednesday at Saratoga Race Course, Burning Bright (#3) appears to have had a major cardiovascular event in the clubhouse turn causing his sudden death. Burning Bright was trained by Norm Casse and ridden by Luis Saez, who was unseated and will be transported to Albany Medical Center for further evaluation. Saez was conscious and alert with movement in all extremities and complaining of pain in his shoulder/collarbone.”

Saez had picked up the mount on GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) in Saturday's upcoming GI Travers S.

An additional NYRA statement added: “Five horses have sustained catastrophic injuries during racing at the 2023 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, which opened on July 13 and has featured 2,226 horses starting in 294 races. One horse (Burning Bright) died suddenly during the running of a race due to a major cardiovascular event.”

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‘Everything Looks Good’ With Rhyme Schemes After Saratoga Special Win

Pura Vida Investments' Rhyme Schemes (Ghostzapper), winner of Saturday's GII Saratoga Special S., exited his easy victory in good form Sunday, according to trainer Norm Casse, who charted a fall campaign for the colt.

“Everything looks good [Sunday] morning and he seems happy; no complaints,” said Casse, who celebrated his fifth career graded victory. “Overall, it's so rewarding. I've been doing this for a long time and Saratoga is an iconic place–the Saratoga Special is an iconic race. Just to be involved is humbling, and to win it is something to be really proud of.”

Sixth on debut in May at Churchill Downs, he rebounded with the addition of blinkers to score at second asking June 15 at Ellis.     He proved his versatility in the Saratoga Special while winning under regular rider Ricardo Santana, Jr.

“He's a true professional,” said Casse. “We don't have to do too much with him because he's so talented; we just let him go through the motions between races, and that's good enough for him. That's what's most exciting about him is the fact that we haven't really had to grind on him to get him to this place where he is now.”

The colt will now be pointed to the Spa's seven-furlong GI Hopeful S. Sept. 4, which will likely be used a springboard to Keeneland's GI Breeders' Futurity going a 1 1/16-miles on Oct. 7.

“Unless he suggests otherwise, I think that's the most rational thing to do,” said Casse. “I know he's still a fresh horse and I can't imagine why he can't come back in three weeks and run just as well. Ideally, the Hopeful will be next and then the Breeders' Futurity after that. The way he trains and his overall demeanor suggests he's a two-turn horse. The horses have the answers, so we'll figure it out as we do it.”

In the juvenile filly division, Casse is represented by recent maiden winner Empire Island (Classic Empire), who is possible to try Grade I company in the Sept. 3 Spinaway S. A homebred for Marylou Whitney Stables, Empire Island came from off the pace to earn a 3/4-length score over Lady Moscato (Quality Road) in a six-furlong maiden special weight Aug. 6.

“There's a slight chance she could come back in the Spinaway, but she's going to have to train herself into that spot,” said Casse. “I feel like she's kind of the opposite of Rhyme Schemes in that we had to press on her a little bit more. It seems like the race took a little more out of her. That's a pretty salty spot, and I need a fresh, ready horse for that.”

Casse added that Robert Masterson's GII Fair Grounds Oaks winner Southlawn (Pioneerof the Nile) remains possible for Saturday's GI Alabama S., but is also considering the Cathryn Sophia S. Aug. 22 at Parx.

“There's an outside chance she could run in the Alabama, but she's got multiple options,” said Casse. “I'm leaning towards running her in something a little less demanding. I feel like she's lost her mojo a little bit and it's my job to get that back. Sometimes, the best way to do that is a little bit of class relief.”

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Rhyme Schemes Dominates the Saratoga Special

Rhyme Schemes (Ghostzapper) backed up his big-figure Ellis Park maiden win with a dominating performance in Saturday's GII Saratoga Special S.

After bumping into 'TDN Rising Star' Edified (Tapit) at the start, the even-money favorite sat in the garden spot in an outside joint third through an opening quarter in :22.18. He loomed up with authority while three wide approaching the quarter pole and blew the race apart from there, running up the score in the stretch to win by 9 1/2 lengths. Longshot Market Street (Street Boss) was second. It was another 3/4 of a length back to second- choice Haul (Army Mule) in third.

A well-beaten sixth on debut behind subsequent Bashford Manor S. runner-up Wilson Q (Constitution) and troubled GIII Sanford S. runner-up Gold Sweep (Speightstown) in a very live maiden special weight at Churchill Downs May 18, Rhyme Schemes looked like a different horse with first-time blinkers, airing by 9 1/2 lengths second out going 5 1/2 furlongs at Ellis Park June 15. He earned a gaudy 94 Beyer Speed Figure that day, the highest of any 2-year-old in the country this season.

“There's always pressure,” winning trainer Norm Casse said. “The problem with Saratoga is I'm never 100% confident. I knew the horse was very talented from the onset. Right when we got him, I could tell that he had multiple gears underneath him. That number [94 Beyer Speed Figure last out] was so big it was hard to believe. I needed some more affirmation and I think we got it today.”

Rhyme Schemes will return in Saratoga's seven-furlong GI Hopeful S. on closing weekend Sept. 4.

“We skipped the Sanford with the intention of running him twice,” Casse said. “Here today and coming back in the Hopeful. I think going forward, he's going to be a better two-turn horse, but that remains to be seen.”

Winning owner Deuce Greathouse of Pura Vida Investments added, “The time he ran at Ellis was the first time we gave him his head and let him out, and today was the second time and you see what he does. It's kind of jaw dropping when he does it and sprints away like that.”

Pedigree Notes:

Rhyme Schemes, a $210,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, becomes the 97th stakes winner/51st graded winner worldwide for Ghostzapper. The Ghostzapper/Distorted Humor cross is also responsible for GISWs Guarana and Molly Morgan. The winning dam Katherine, a $575,000 OBS April breezer, produced a colt by Honor A. P. in 2022 and a colt by Candy Ride (Arg) in 2023. She was bred back to Honor A. P. This is the extended female family of GISWs Malathaat (Curlin), Dream Rush (Wild Rush), Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy), et al.

Saturday, Saratoga
HERB MOELIS MEMORIAL SARATOGA SPECIAL S.-GII, $200,000, Saratoga, 8-12, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:17.12, ft.
1–RHYME SCHEMES, 120, c, 2, by Ghostzapper
1st Dam: Katherine, by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Eileen's Dream, by Bernardini
3rd Dam: Turbo Dream, by Unbridled
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($210,000
Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Pura Vida Investments LLC; B-Parks
Investment Group, LLC (KY); T-Norm W Casse; J-Ricardo
Santana Jr. $110,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $180,950.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Market Street, 120, c, 2, Street Sense–Quality Way, by
Quality Road. 1ST BLACK-TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($275,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Les Wagner; B-Robert & Lawana
Low (KY); T-D Wayne Lukas. $40,000.
3–Haul, 120, c, 2, Army Mule–Western Kitty, by Western Fame.
1ST BLACK-TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($260,000 2yo '23
OBSAPR). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & St Elias Stable;
B-KMN Racing LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $24,000.
Margins: 9HF, 3/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 1.05, 12.90, 2.30.
Also Ran: Lasso, Edified, Woodcourt. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

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On Whitney Weekend, Whitney Stables Captures Spa Maiden

It's been more than four years since Saratoga socialite Marylou Whitney passed away, but thanks to her husband John Hendrickson and trainer Norm Casse, her memory is never far away when it comes to the Saratoga season.

Marylou Whitney Stables, now operated by Hendrickson, won with its first starter at the meet when homebred Empire Island (Classic Empire) won the day's sixth race by three-quarters of a length over Lady Moscato (Quality Road). A six-furlong maiden race for 2-year-old fillies that was run at six furlongs, it had a purse of $136,500.

“It's awesome,” Casse said of his association with the Whitney stable. “This is such a humbling thing and it makes me really proud.”

Breaking from the rail under Ricardo Santana Jr., Empire Island broke alertly and settled into third as favorite Gypsy Tales (Munnings) went to the front. Lady Moscato moved first and got past Gypsy Tales but wasn't able to hold off Empire Island's late run.

Gypsy Tales, sent off at 9-5, tired in the stretch and finished sixth.

“She's the epitome of class,” Casse said. 'She acts like an older horse already. She's super talented. I was a little bit concerned today. She got up here and spiked a temperature and that's why she had to scratch opening day.  So she hasn't really been on a regular routine work pattern. So I was worried she might be short today. But this is a very talented horses and I am thrilled for the connections.”

Lady Moscato (Quality Road) is owned by BC Stables Ltd and is trained by Wayne Lukas. She was an $800,000 Keeneland September purchase and nearly gave the BC Stables-Lukas team its second maiden winner in as many days. They hit Saturday with Just Steel (Justify).

Empire Island's winning time was 1:11.79, while the first division of the race, won by 'TDN Rising Star' Ways and Means (Practical Joke) was clocked in 1:10.51.

6th-Saratoga, $105,002, Msw, 8-6, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.79, ft, 3/4 length.
EMPIRE ISLAND (f, 2, Classic Empire–Gull Island, by Giant's Causeway) earned a sentimental 5-1 shot as a homebred for Saratoga's own Marylou Whitney Stables and settled in third just off the speed of post-time favorite Gypsy Tales (Munnings). Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. was asking her a long way from home but she began to respond with a move into upper stretch, taking aim on Lady Moscato (Quality Road) who had assumed command from Gypsy Tales. Up past that rival inside the final sixteenth, Empire Island gained a bit of separation on the wire for the three-quarter length win. The first foal of out of a daughter of champion 3-year-old filly Bird Town (Cape Town), Empire Island counts MGSW Bird Song (Unbridled's Song) and MGISW Birdstone (Grindstone) as members of her extended family. Gull Island has Vekoma yearling still to race and was bred to Twirling Candy for next year. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O/B-Marylou Whitney Stables LLC (KY); T-Norm W. Casse.

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