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Casse Hopes March To The Arch Can Repeat In King Edward

Eight hopefuls, including Mark Casse trainees March to the Arch and Olympic Runner, are set to contest the Grade 2 $175,000 King Edward Stakes, a one-mile event for three-year-olds and up on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, Sunday at Woodbine.

Casse, who was recently feted with others at the combined 2020 and 2021 U.S. Horse Racing Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, has a pair of chances to notch his third King Edward crown, including with defending champ March to the Arch.

A lifetime winner of eight races from 27 starts, the 6-year-old son of Arch, bred and owned by Live Oak Plantation, sports a record of 4-3-0 in seven Woodbine appearances.

After a second-place effort to 2020 Queen's Plate winner Mighty Heart in the main track Grade 3 Dominion Day on July 1 at the Toronto oval, March to the Arch, as the 6-5 choice, rallied over good going on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course to notch a sharp 4 ½-length triumph in the Niagara Stakes, set at a distance of 'about' 1 1/8-miles.

Those first two starts of 2021 earned high praise from Casse.

“March to the Arch, what can I say? He's a tough, old boy who has come back this year as strong as ever. His last race [July 25], it was very impressive. He ran really well. He sat back – they set up a little pace for him – and he came running. He's cutting back for this race, but I don't think that should be a big issue.”

Casse expects another strong performance this Sunday.

“He should run well this weekend. He's gotten better [over time]. Early on, he didn't show a whole lot. It took him a while, but when he did put it all together, he did it well. He really has become better with age.”

March to the Arch launched his career with a fifth-place result at Gulfstream in February 2018, and earned his first win next time out, also at the Hallandale oval. The Florida-bred earned his first stakes victory that July, at Woodbine, in the Toronto Stakes.

The current plan is for the multiple graded stakes winner to contest one of the biggest races on the Woodbine stakes calendar.

“We're looking and hoping for another shot at the Woodbine Mile (September 18),” said Casse, who watched March to the Arch rally stoutly to finish second to Starship Jubilee in last year's running. “He's a real pro.”

Casse will also send out by Olympic Runner, a 5-year-old son of Gio Ponti, in the King Edward.

Bred in Kentucky by Eutrophia Farm Ltd., the Gary Barber-owned dark bay comes into the race off a silver medal performance in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup, missing top spot by a neck.

Olympic Runner, who brings a 4-7-2 mark from 22 career starts into Sunday's race, has a tendency to be his own worst enemy at times, noted Casse.

“He runs really well. He just doesn't get there quite as much as you would like to see. He kind of gets himself into trouble. I'm always making excuses for him, but I've come to the conclusion that he does it. He's coming into the race in good order. He's pretty consistent. He gets into trouble on tighter turns, so I think he enjoys the Woodbine turf course.”

Fourth in last year's Ricoh Woodbine Mile, his lone stakes win came in the 2019 running of the King Corrie at Woodbine.

There's a possibility Olympic Runner could join March to the Arch in the Toronto oval's fall turf classic.

“We're hoping he's good enough for the Woodbine Mile,” offered Casse.

Casse, who won his first King Edward in 2008 with Royal Oath, is hoping to see some fast early fractions in the King Edward.

“Both of them need some pace, so hopefully, that's what they can get on Sunday.”

Hall of Fame conditioner Josie Carroll sends out a formidable duo of her own, multiple graded stakes winners Jolie Olimpica, a 5-year-old daughter of Drosselmeyer, and Avie's Flatter, a 5-year-old son of Flatter.

The King Edward is slated as Race 8 on Sunday's 10-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager via HPIbet.com.

FIELD FOR THE GRADE 2 $175,000 KING EDWARD

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Town Cruise – Daisuke Fukumoto – Brandon Greer

2 – Olympic Runner – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

3 – March to the Arch – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

4 – Avie's Flatter – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

5 – Gray's Fable – Gary Boulanger – Roger Attfield

6 – Alfons Walde (IRE) – David Moran – Conor Murphy

7 – Jolie Olimpica (BRZ) – Kazushi Kimura – Josie Carroll

8 – Valid Point – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Graham Motion

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$35,000 Claim Dancing Kiki Handles Stretch Out With Ease In Saratoga Dew

Trainer Mike Maker continued his stellar start to the summer meet, racking up his second consecutive win on the card when Michael Dubb's Dancing Kiki set the pace and then drew away for a 4 1/2-length victory in Thursday's $100,000 Saratoga Dew for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at the Spa.

The 17th running of the Saratoga Dew – contested at 1 1/8 miles on the Spa main track – saw Maker extend his meet-leading win total to 19 as Dancing Kiki broke sharp from the inside post under Jose Ortiz, leading the five-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in 23.73 seconds and the half in 48.48 on the fast surface.

Simply Ravishing, the Kenneth McPeek-trained 3-2 favorite under Luis Saez, tracked in second position and made a bid from the outside in the final turn along with Maiden Beauty. But Ortiz kept Dancing Kiki to the inside, where the 4-year-old Blame filly deftly handled the final turn and then closed strong to the wire in outkicking runner-up Maiden Beauty, completing the course in 1:51.71.

“I knew I had speed, the only question was if she would handle the mile-and-an-eighth, and she did it nicely,” Ortiz said. “She had plenty left late in the last eighth of a mile, she was still running pretty decently.”

Claimed for $35,000 out of a 5 1/4-length victory going seven furlongs on the Saratoga main track on July 22, Dancing Kiki handled the stretch out to nine furlongs with aplomb. Three of her four career victories in 23 starts have come in her last six races.

“She was doing well. I claimed her on Michael Dubb's recommendation and I ran her here on Michael Dubb's recommendation,” Maker said. “I wasn't really concerned [about stretching out.] Jose seemed to make an easy lead, so that added to the confidence.”

Dubb won his eighth race of the meet to tie Three Diamonds Farm for the lead among owners.

“When I handicapped the race, I thought McPeek's horse would be aggressive going for the lead,” Dubb said. “When I didn't see McPeek's horse on the lead, I felt pretty comfortable. I thought the fractions were reasonable.”

Off at 7-1, Dancing Kiki returned $16 on a $2 win wager. Bred in the Empire State by Dutchess Views Farm and SGO Thoroughbred, Dancing Kiki improved her career earnings to $256,230.

“It was a little bit the breeding, by Blame,” Dubb said on the decision to claim Dancing Kiki. “The horse had been running at various distances and I have had luck with Mike stretching horses out. I think he's known, whether it's turf or dirt, for stretching horses out. It seemed like a horse you could stretch out.”

Maiden Beauty, claimed for $45,000 last out by trainer Robert Falcone, Jr. for owners John Grossi's Racing Corp, finished as the runner-up for the second consecutive time, besting Mrs. Orb by a half length.

“I thought the break was the key,” said Maiden Beauty jockey Joel Rosario. “She had to sit behind the front two a little bit, but she ran well. She was just second-best today. She seemed like she handled it great. We tried to make a move, we just couldn't catch the winner.”

Espresso Shot and Simply Ravishing completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Friday at Saratoga with a 10-race card that start at 1:05 p.m. Eastern. The $120,000 Tale of the Cat, a six-furlong main track sprint for 4-year-olds and up who have not won a graded stakes this year, is carded as Race 9 at 5:39 p.m.

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Duarte Looking For ‘Calmer’ Introduced To Show Up In Incredible Revenge Stakes

When Introduced failed to live up to expectations in her first three starts of the year trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr. went searching for answers. What he came to realize was this: His talented 5-year-old mare can lose the race before it is even run because of how nervous she gets pre-race.

A change in routine followed, as did an upset victory at Monmouth Park against allowance company on July 23 in her next start.

Now Duarte is eager to see if his adjustments can pay dividends in a stakes race as well.

Introduced, who has won stakes races on the main track but not yet on the grass, is among nine fillies and mares entered for Saturday's $100,000 Incredible Revenge Stakes at 5½ furlongs on the turf at Monmouth Park.

Once again, the Kathleen O'Connell-trained Miss Auramet, beaten a nose by Introduced in that Monmouth allowance race after defeating her by 8½ lengths two starts prior, looms as the horse to beat. O'Connell is adding blinkers to Miss Auramet in an effort to get the classy 5-year-old mare back to her winning ways.

But Introduced may have something to say in the race if Duarte can keep her calm before it goes off.

“At the beginning of the season she had a couple of races where she was getting a little too nervous before the race,” said Duarte, who has won with seven of his 18 starters at the Monmouth Park meet. “We changed a couple of things before her last race, like bringing her in with the pony and saddling her outside.

“We tried to keep her as calm as we could pre-race. It seemed like it worked.”

The 86 Beyer speed figure for her last race, a five-furlong turf dash, equaled a career-best on any surface. Introduced, a Maryland-bred daughter of El Padrino, has won 7-of-18 starts in her career with earnings of $324,801.

She also sports a 4-3-1 line from 14 career grass starts – but lacks a stakes victory on the turf. She did win the Smart N Fancy Stakes at Saratoga last year over a muddy track and captured the state-bred Miss Disco Stakes at Laurel on the dirt in 2019.

“I think she's good enough to win a stakes race on the grass,” said Duarte. “We always thought she would like Monmouth Park but her last race was the first time she put it all together here. We're going to try the same thing pre-race as we did last time and see how it works.

“She's just a high-energy, nervous mare. It seems like if you keep her calm pre-race she will fire.”

Albin Jimenez has the mount on the Colts Neck Stable-owned Introduced, who was 10-1 when she upset 3-10 Miss Auramet last time out.

“There are some nice fillies and mares in this race,” said Duarte. “I trained Miss Auramet last year. I know how good she is. She is very consistent. I don't think she got the best trip last time. My horse kind of got an advantage that day. Miss Auramet was stuck inside and had to wait and seemed to check a little and then had to some around us. So we had the first jump.

“But my filly has some confidence. We'll see if keeping her calm again helps as much as it did last time.”

Miss Auramet enters the race with a 9-8-3 line from 24 career starts and earnings of $444,090. She has hit the board in 12 of her 15 career grass starts, though her last stakes win was in the Politely at Monmouth Park in the slop on May 30.

Paco Lopez has the mount.

The field also includes Love and Peace, a California shipper from trainer Neil Drysdale. She has not raced since March 6 at Santa Anita.

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Amoss Hopes Sermononthemount Will ‘Really Show What He Can Do’ In Ellis Park Derby

Trainer Tom Amoss finds a different scenario facing Sermononthemount in running Emil Cerullo's 3-year-old colt in Sunday's $200,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Derby than what awaited him in last month's Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand.

The Grade 3 Indiana Derby had a heavy favorite in Churchill Downs' Matt Winn winner Fulsome. But the time-honored racing tenet is that you don't run away from one horse. Indeed, Sermononthemount finished second at 18-1 as Mr. Wireless rolled to victory in the 1 1/16-mile stakes. Fulsome finished a non-threatening third.

The 1 1/8-mile Ellis Park Derby would not appear to have a prohibitive favorite in its field of six 3-year-olds. While Super Stock won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, he also finished fourth in the Texas Derby and Iowa Derby following a 16th in the Kentucky Derby. Also entered: Indiana Derby fourth-place finisher Starrininmydreams, Ellis Park allowance winner Colonel Bowman, allowance runner-up (by a nose) There Goes Harvard and Ellis maiden-winner Hanks.

The Ellis Park Derby is part of a five-stakes Sunday card that also features the $125,000 RUNHAPPY Groupie Doll for fillies and mares, $125,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Juvenile, $125,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Debutante and $100,000 Audubon Oaks.

“He's a horse that wants some pace up front and be allowed to finish. And we really didn't get that in the Indiana Derby,” Amoss said. “He's also a horse, in my opinion, that would rather come around than go inside. He kind of likes to have one of those trips where he's not crowded in any shape or form, and he didn't get that either. But he still ran well. The Ellis Park Derby is a logical race for us because No. 1, it's right there. It's very attractive purse-wise, and I like the distance.”

The Indiana Derby “was a race on paper that I thought was worth rolling the dice,” he said. “I think that's kind of what's happening again… I see a field in the Ellis Park Derby with a lot of horses that are up and coming and improving, but certainly no horse in there that would scare another one out.”

James Graham has the return mount on Sermononthemount. Graham turned out to be prescient when he said this before the Indiana Derby: “He tries his butt off every time, so you have to take a little bit of a shot — and he's doing good. What if Fulsome has a bad day? And hopefully we have a good day. Give it a shot and see what happens.”

Mr. Wireless validated his Indiana Derby victory by taking last Saturday's Grade 3 West Virginia Derby.

“He showed he is legit by the results of the West Virginia Derby,” Amoss said. “So that's nice, too.”

Sermononthemount didn't run well on turf when claimed for $50,000 at the Fair Grounds in March. Two races later, Amoss put him in for a $30,000 claiming race as a confidence-builder, and off that win began tackling stakes company. The result was third in the Prairie Mile and then the Indiana second.

“The Ellis Park Derby will give him a chance to really show what he can do at more distance,” Amoss said. “He's an improving young horse.”

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