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Casse-Trained Trio Top Saturday’s Trillium Stakes Field At Woodbine

Conditioner Mark Casse has three chances, in the form of Crystal Glacier, Heavenly Curlin and Skygaze, to capture his third Grade 3 Trillium Stakes title, Saturday at Woodbine.

Having won the 2013 and 2019 editions of the Trillium with Sisterly Love and Miss Mo Mentum, respectively, Casse will look to complete the stakes hat trick in the 1 1/16-mile, $150,000 main track event, with three serious contenders.

Crystal Glacier, a 4-year-old daughter of Curlin, has assembled a record of three wins and a second from nine career starts for Live Oak Plantation.

Bred in Kentucky by Southern Equine Stables, the dark bay has a pair of score in her past three races, back-to-back victories coming at Turfway Park this February.

“She's another one that ran well at Turfway,” offered Casse. “We tried there this year and actually had a very good meet. The horses ran well there, including her.”

The Trillium represents the first stakes appearance for Crystal Glacier, who won her career bow on August 9, 2019 at Ellis Park.

“She's a very nice horse and she really does like it at Woodbine.”

Heavenly Curlin, also a daughter of Curlin, will no doubt appreciate a return to the Woodbine Tapeta.

Owned by Gary Barber and John Oxley, the 4-year-old bay rhymed off three consecutive triumphs at the Toronto oval in 2020, including a 5 ¾-length romp in the Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes on November 7.

Bred by Elevage II, LLC, Heavenly Curlin arrives at the Trillium off a fifth and ninth in two grass starts at Gulfstream.

She sports a record of 3-0-1 from seven career races with all three wins coming in her three Woodbine engagements.

“It was a tremendous effort in the Maple Leaf last year. We took her down to Florida and ran her in some tough spots. She just doesn't like the grass as much as Tapeta.”

Skygaze, who has contested five of her nine career starts at Woodbine, returns to Canada on a three-race win streak that began last fall in Ontario.

After rallying to secure a neck nod in a seven-furlong main track allowance race on October 3, Skygaze took her talents to Turfway Park where the 4-year-old daughter of American Pharoah made a late charge to eke out another neck win on December 10.

Owned by Tracy Farmer and bred in Kentucky by Normandy Farm, the bay was 'much the best' in taking a 1 1/16-mile Tapeta event by three lengths.

Skygaze brings a record of 4-0-2 from nine races into the Trillium.

“She won the Mazarine [at Woodbine] last year, but was disqualified,” noted Casse. “It took her awhile to get on track, but she ran really well at Turfway. We had planned on running her in a stake on Jeff Ruby Steaks day, but she didn't get in. She was on the AE's and didn't get in. So, we've been sitting and waiting for this spot for a long time. She's been training very well.”

Casse believes any of his Trillium starters could take all the spoils.

“They all like to win. They're all solid fillies and it wouldn't shock me for any of them to win.”

The Trillium is Race 7 on Saturday's 10-race card. First post time is 1:20 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com.

FIELD FOR THE GRADE 3 $150,000 TRILLIUM

POST – HORSE – JOCKEY – TRAINER

1 – Crystal Glacier – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

2 – Souper Escape – Luis Contreras – Michael Trombetta

3 – Red Cabernet – Steven Bahen – Ian Black

4 – Royal Wedding – Simon Husbands – Nathan Squires

5 – Merveilleux – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

6 – Brassy – Daisuke Fukumoto – Eoin Harty

7 – Skygaze – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

8 – Heavenly Curlin – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse

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Indiana Derby Draws 46 Nominations, Including 10 From Cox Stable

The 27th running of the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby has drawn 46 nominations, including four starters from this year's Kentucky Derby. The race is set for Wednesday, July 7 and will be complemented by the 26th running of the Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks. A total of six stakes are slated for the program with a first post set for 2:25 p.m.

Trainer Brad Cox has nominated 10 to the Indiana Derby, including Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality. The grey son of Tapit last started in the third leg of the Triple Crown and is three for four in 2021, only missing the win in the 2021 Kentucky Derby where he finished fourth. Other horses nominated from the Cox Stable include Mandaloun, second place finisher in this year's Kentucky Derby and Fulsome, who has won his last three starts, including the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Greg Foley has nominated O Besos, fifth place finisher in this year's Kentucky Derby. The chestnut son of Orb finished second in his last start in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Steve Asmussen has nominated Super Stock, a starter in the Kentucky Derby. The Dialed In colt finished fourth in his last start, the $300,000 Texas Derby at Lone Star Park. Prior to his start in the Kentucky Derby, Super Stock won the $1 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.

A total of 14 horses on the Indiana Derby nomination list are Graded Stakes placed, eight of which are Graded Stakes winners.

The Indiana Oaks has been set up with 29 nominations. Nine of the fillies on the list are Graded Stakes placed with several California connected horses on the list. Ken McPeek has nominated Crazy Beautiful, winner of the Grade 2 Summer Oaks at Santa Anita in her last start. Another filly capturing attention on the list is Army Wife, who won the Grade 2 $250,000 Black Eyed Susan at Pimlico in her last start. The Declaration of War filly is trained by Mike Maker. Will's Secret has also been nominated from the Dallas Stewart Stable. The Will Take Charge filly finished third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks in her last start.

The Indiana Derby program will include several activities, including five, $1,000 Indiana Derby Megabet drawings, courtesy of the Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance. The early evening card will also include a Cigar Rolling Station, Indiana Derby Hat Contest, strolling entertainment, and extended outdoor food and beverage outlets. Estimated post time for the Indiana Derby is approximately 7:45 p.m.

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Path To The Plate: ‘Very Professional’ Tidal Forces Showing All The Right Signs

It was a victory Gail Cox perhaps didn't quite see coming a mile and a sixteenth away, but one that was a game changer for the trainer and the striking Sam-Son Farm homebred.

The odds, 6-1 on the Woodbine infield toteboard, suggested Tidal Forces had a decent shot at winning the allowance optional claiming main track race this past Saturday at the Toronto oval.

Cox also figured he had a reasonable chance at taking the spoils.

“He ran so well in his first start [April 10, at Gulfstream] I really like him. Running that first race at Gulfstream, it's tough there. He ran so well and it was a very impressive effort.”

As was his encore at Woodbine.

At the end of the 8.5-furlong main track race, the 3-year-old son of Malibu Moon crossed the wire a half-length winner under Emma-Jayne Wilson.

Although Cox wasn't certain Tidal Forces, who was unraced at 2, could get up in time for the victory, Wilson had no doubt about the outcome.

“It impressed me that he settled so nicely. Emma said he had the measure of them the whole way. When they were turning for home and down the lane, I thought, 'Is he going to get there?' When I talked to Emma after the race, she said she knew they would. I thought, maybe, he wouldn't have enough speed for there, but I think he did. In hindsight, when you watch the replay, you could see that he did have the measure of them the whole time.”

While there are still key races to be run ahead of the Queen's Plate (August 22), the big picture has now come into sharper focus for Tidal Forces' connections.

Listed at 50-1 in the Queen's Plate Winterbook, the Ontario-bred has now stamped himself as a legitimate Plate contender.

Aside from his physical talents, Tidal Forces' demeanor has impressed Cox from day one.

“He's a pretty cool guy. He eats well and he's pretty easy to deal with. He walks over the paddock calmly. He's just very professional in everything he does. There are times when you see little signs of immaturity, losing focus a little bit, but I'm really happy with everything when it comes to him.”

Cox doesn't dial back that high praise even if Tidal Forces can be, at times, somewhat laid back.

“When you're walking out to the track with him, you'd almost think he's lazy. He kind of wanders out and wanders back. But when you turn around to gallop him, he's quite powerful. And that's just the type of horse you love to have, one who can turn the dial from laid-back to all business.”

Those aren't the only things that have stuck with Tidal Forces.

Although he no longer showcases a particular look, the sobriquet bestowed upon him has stayed.

“We call him 'Brutus,' said Cox with a laugh. “As a young horse, he had this huge neck, a big, fat, wide neck. As he's grown up, he's certainly lengthened out a bit and become much more refined. He's really quite beautiful.”

A horse that looks to be a bona fide Plate contender.

That said, Cox, in search of her first win in the $1 million classic, will endeavor to rein in her emotions as the road to the big day continues to intensify.

“I'm really happy we got to run him at Woodbine because he is going to need a couple of races now that we are planning towards running him in the Plate. He's got to get some experience. But after these two races, it makes you confident in taking the next step.”

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Norm Casse Has Pair Of Talented 2-Year-Olds In Saturday Stakes

Trainer Norm Casse's talented 2-year-old duo of maiden winners Glacial and Ontheonesandtwos will compete against stakes company for the first time in Saturday afternoon's $150,000 Bashford Manor (Grade 3) and $150,000 Debutante (Listed), respectively, at Churchill Downs.

“We have some really nice 2-year-olds in our barn and these are two of them,” Casse said.

Glacial won his first-career start under jockey Joe Talamo. The son of Frosted completed 5 ½ furlongs in 1:04.99 and earned an 80 Brisnet Speed Rating. The gray colt will break from post No. 4 under Talamo as the 3-1 morning line favorite.

“Glacial's gate works really excited us,” Casse said. “He's quick from the gate and professional. I really like this horse. Compared to Ontheonesandtwos and (first-out maiden winner) Pretty Birdie, his numbers won't come back as strong. I think he probably ran the better race in his debut of the three. He got away from the gate poorly, rushed up on the rail and put away a horse that has run twice. And he did all of that comfortably and came back to the barn as if he's never raced. The main thing is I'm excited to see how he runs back. I didn't train them as hard going into their first race so I'd have to think they move forward going into their second race.”

In the Debutante, Ontheonesandtwos enters the race as the 5-2 morning line favorite with jockey Florent Geroux in the saddle. The Jimmy Creed filly cruised to a 1 ¾-length debut victory on May 13 at Churchill Downs at odds of 6-1.

“Ontheonesandtwos has worked three times since she's won,” Casse said. “She's a little bit different than Glacial. She's really forward and aggressive in her gallops. She's a sweetheart in the barn but on the racetrack she's down to business.”

The Debutante, run at six furlongs for 2-year-old fillies, will go as Race 8 at 4:22 p.m. while its counterpart, the Bashford Manor, will go as Race 9 at 4:55 p.m.

The complete field for the Debutante from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

Wicked Halo (Jose Ortiz, Steve Asmussen, 4-1)
Cartel Queen (Colby Hernandez, Tom Amoss, 6-1)
Tizplenty (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen, 4-1)
Classiness (Gabriel Saez, Jason Barkley, 20-1)
Catchusifyoucan (Adam Beschizza, Bret Calhoun, 10-1)
Mollie Kate (James Graham, John Ennis, 8-1)
Behave Virginia (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek, 9-2)
Ontheonesandtwos (Geroux, Casse, 5-2)
Compressed Energy (Fernando De La Cruz, Genaro Garcia, 30-1)
Mi Estrella (Marceleno Pedroza, Garcia, 30-1)

The field for the Bashford Manor from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

Vodka N Water (Jose Ortiz, Steve Asmussen, 6-1)
Landsdowne (Jon Court, Dallas Stewart, 7-2)
Tapped Off (Drayden Van Dyke, Darrin Williams, 12-1)
Glacial (Talamo, Casse, 3-1)
Whatstheconnection (Marcelino Pedroza, John Ennis, 20-1)
Knocker Down (Cindy Murphy, Travis Murphy, 20-1)
Whislewhileyoumow (Gabriel Saez, Jon Arnett, 30-1)
Double Thunder (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher, 4-1)
Red Run (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen, 4-1)
Rising Outlaw (Rafael Bejarano, Jimmy Chapman, 30-1)
Shesgotattitude (James Graham, John Ennis, 20-1)

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