The more, the merrier could be the mantra of trainer Mark Casse when it comes to racing at Woodbine.
Take, for example, Sunday's $400,000 Summer Stakes, a Grade 1 for 2-year-olds in which Casse will field four of the nine entrants in the one-mile turf race.
The Summer is also a Breeders' Cup Challenge event with an all-fees berth in Del Mar's 1 1/16 mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 5 earmarked for the winner.
Last year Casse sent forth winner Gretzky the Great, who went on to finish a decent sixth of 14 in the Juvenile Turf, and third-place finisher Dolder Grand.
This time around, Casse will send out First Empire, Souper Legacy, Luckman, and Grafton Street in quest of present and perhaps future glory.
First Empire is the most prominent member of the quartet, having followed up on a rather disappointing debut here on the main track with back-to-back turf scores including the 6 ½-furlong Soaring Free, a race which Gretzky the Great had also used as a successful Summer stepping-stone.
“His last race ended up being very good,” said Casse. “He's doing everything right, he definitely loves the turf, and he's coming into this race good, whereas this is a little tougher task. But, I don't see the mile being an issue.”
Patrick Husbands, in the irons for First Empire's turf scores, retains the mount.
Souper Legacy is 1-for-1, having captured an off-the-turf maiden race over seven furlongs, while Luckman ran second when debuting in a split of that race on the August 29 card.
“I thought his first race was good,” said Casse, of Souper Legacy. “We definitely think he's a little better on the grass.”
Antonio Gallardo replaces Husbands on the gelding.
Luckman, also ridden by Husbands in his opener, will have Emma-Jayne Wilson aboard this time.
“We were hoping to give both those horses a race over the turf but he's another horse who should move up on the grass,” said Casse, who does not anticipate the mile being a problem for either runner.
Grafton Street has not seen action since May 29 when he debuted with a third-place finish in a race scheduled for turf but contested over five furlongs of sloppy going at Belmont.
“He's by War Front, and he's kind of my version of War of Will this year,” said Casse, who sent out that son of the Danzig sire to finish second in the 2018 Summer and then go on to achieve Grade 1 heroics in the Preakness and later the Maker's Mark Mile on Keeneland's turf course. “I've kind of always thought he was one of our better colts.
“The race came off the grass at Belmont, he ran, and that was hard on him. It took him a while to bounce back.”
Getting back down to business at Saratoga, Grafton Street recorded a bullet turf breeze on August 13.
“It was phenomenal,” said Casse. “Then I shipped him to Woodbine, to get a race on the grass, and it came off so I scratched him. But he's trained very, very well.”
Rafael Hernandez gets the call.
In addition to Gretzky the Great, Casse took down three consecutive Summer Stakes beginning in 2013 with My Conquestadory and continuing with Conquest Typhoon and Conquest Daddyo.
Albahr, based in England with trainer Charlie Appleby, has shipped in for the Summer with some interesting credentials.
After ending a troubled third in his debut the English-bred gelding has rattled off three straight wins, the first two at seven furlongs and the most recent over one mile of “good” going at Salisbury.
“He's done little wrong this year,” said travelling head lad Chris Durham. “He won a listed race in Salisbury, probably not on the ground you'd want. It rained, and it got a bit of water on it. The ground wouldn't have been in his favour, and he still won. Charlie's really happy with him. This has been his plan.”
Albahr will be looking to become the first European shipper to win the Summer in very limited representations. Vitalogy, trained in Ireland by Joseph O'Brien, finished third in the race in 2019.
The presence of Frankie Dettori in the irons will add to the Godolphin homebred's allure.
Invading from south of the Canadian border will be Dripping Gold and Degree of Risk.
Dripping Gold, trained by Shug McGaughey, was an impressive winner of his only start at Saratoga, a 1 1/16 mile race over firm turf. Joel Rosario picks up the mount.
Degree of Risk, based at Arlington with conditioner Eoin Harty, returns to Woodbine after finishing second in the Soaring Free. The Godolphin homebred again will have locally-based Justin Stein in the irons.
Rounding out the lineup will be Ready for the Lady and Heat Merchant.
Ready for the Lady, conditioned by Roger Attfield, ran second to Souper Legacy on the Tapeta surface in his only appearance.
Heat Merchant, trained by Ralph Biamonte, also will be making his turf debut after graduating over six furlongs in his third outing.
$400,000 Summer Stakes (Grade 1)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Dripping Gold – Joel Rosario – Shug McGaughey
2 – Luckman – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse
3 – Grafton Street – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse
4 – Albahr – Frankie Dettori – Charles Appleby
5 – Heat Merchant – Gary Boulanger – Ralph Biamonte
6 – Degree of Risk – Justin Stein – Eoin Harty
7 – Souper Legacy – Antonio Gallardo – Mark Casse
8 – First Empire – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
9 – Ready for the Lady – Keveh Nicholls – Roger Attfield
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