Barn Tour: Mark Casse updates on 19 stable stars

Mark Casse has been a little under the radar this year, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been winning. He’s in his usual spot atop the Woodbine trainer standings, and he has five graded-stakes wins. He’s in the top 10 among all trainers in terms of wins and earnings.

Ahead of his trip to Saratoga next week with a contingent of 32 horses, Casse spoke with Horse Racing Nation this week about some of his top runners for the latest in HRN’s Barn Tour series.

Filo Di Arianna. The 8-year-old gelding had an eight-month break before returning in March, and he’s 0-for-3 this year, most recently finishing seventh in the Jaipur (G1). He’ll go in Saturday’s Highlander (G2) at Woodbine.

Get Smokin. After winning the Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles in September, the 7-year-old gelding took a break and returned with a fourth-place finish in the June 1 Eclipse (G2), his first start on synthetic. “I thought he ran well, especially for a surface that he’s never run on. And so we’re anxious getting back. Obviously, his biggest accomplishment was going a mile and a half on the grass.” He’ll start next in the 1 3/8-mile United Nations (G2) at Monmouth Park on July 20.

Fev Rover. The 6-year-old mare’s sixth-place finish in the New York (G1) was her first start since she was 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. She’ll come back Saturday in the Nassau (G2) at Woodbine, which she won last year. As for her performance in the New York, Casse said, “I thought it was OK. She misbehaved poorly in the paddock in the post parade. And I think she probably blew her race there. So given all her antics and the way she behaved, her race was probably better than it looks.”

Ice Chocolat. The 6-year-old gelding got his second win from five starts this year with a gate-to-wire win in the Poker (G3) at 24-1. He came out of the June 8 race “in good order,” Casse said, and will run next in the Kelso (G3) on July 13.

Palazzi. This 6-year-old gelding got his first win of the year in the Eclipse after rallying in the stretch. He’ll start Saturday in the Dominion Day (G3).

Strong Quality. The 5-year-old son of Quality Road was eighth in the Manhattan (G1) last out and before that led at every call to win the Knicks Go Overnight by a half-length on the Kentucky Derby undercard. “I haven’t really decided where to run him yet. He’s run pretty hard. He’s very versatile. I haven’t come up with a plan. I’m just giving him a little bit of a breather. He’s in training, but I haven’t come up with a target.” In the Manhattan, “I think that he hooked into a horse (Measured Time) that’s extremely good. He just kind of ran us into the ground. I thought Strong Quality hung in there very well, but that horse might be a class above most.”

Win for the Money. The 5-year-old gelding made his 2024 debut on May 25 and won the black-type Mr. Steele Stakes at Gulfstream Park by 6 3/4 lengths. He’s entered in Saturday’s Wise Dan (G2) at Churchill Downs. “He’s a horse that we’ve always liked. We’ve kind of run him sparingly. He ran good up at Woodbine. We gave him a break. … To me, his race (at Gulfstream) was ultra-impressive. I mean, he ran fast. He won easy. He ran a big number.”

Play the Music. This 4-year-old Mo Town filly won the Whimsical (G3) on turf and the True North (G3) on Tapeta at Woodbine in her latest two starts. “She is probably coming back in the Hendrie (G3), which is back on the Tapeta. She won on the Tapeta, then on the grass, now she’s going back to the Tapeta.”

Webslinger. The 4-year-old gelding has finished out of the money only four times in 17 career starts, and he broke a seven-race losing streak last out with a win in the black-type Chorleywood Overnight Stakes at Churchill. “You can’t have enough Webslingers,” Casse said. His next start will be in the United Nations.

Paramount Prince. The 4-year-old gelding, winner of the King’s Plate last year, was third in the Eclipse after winning his 2024 debut, an optional-claiming allowance at Gulfstream. He also will run in the Dominion Day.

Papilio. The 4-year-old daughter of Starspangledbanner won an optional-claiming allowance at Churchill Downs last week for her first score of the year. Her next start will be in the Matchmaker (G3) on July 20.

Pounce. This 3-year-old daughter of Lookin At Lucky started the year with two wins, including the Hercomesthebride (G3), but is 0-for-2 since. Last out, she was third in the black-type Penn Oaks on May 31. “Pounce is going to wait and she’s going to run in the Lake George (G3) at Saratoga” on July 20.

Dancin N Dixie. This 3-year-old Neolithic filly has finished third in her last three starts, all in graded stakes. She is entered in Saturday’s Tepin Stakes at Churchill Downs.

My Boy Prince. The 3-year-old son of Cairo Prince has won his last two races, the Queenston Stakes in June and the King Corrie in May. His next start will be in the Plate Trial at Woodbine on July 20.

2-year-olds

And One More Time. This 2-year-old filly by Omaha Beach was a $750,000 purchase as a yearling by Live Oak Plantation. She’ll debut Wednesday at Churchill. “She’s a filly we really like, paid a lot of money for. May end up probably being a better turf horse. But we’re trying to get these horses started at Churchill, and then we’ll take a lot of them to Saratoga. I’m not one to concentrate on winning first time. If they win, that’s good. If they don’t, that’s OK. I like getting them started.”

Daisy Duke. This 2-year-old Classic Empire filly is owned by Casse’s wife through Quintessential Racing Florida. She broke her maiden at Churchill Downs in her second try on May 27 and is entered in the Debutante on Sunday. “She’s a filly that, though she’s won, she’s been a little disappointing to me. I thought she was a little better than what she’s run so far. So I’m hoping that changes in that she shows up and gives what I think she has.”

Heat. This 2-year-old Munnings colt, who broke his maiden in his May 25 debut, is entered in Sunday’s Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs. “He ran good first time. Went up, he breezed well at Churchill. With these 2-year-olds, you just never know who’s going to step up. But we got a pretty good pilot (Irad Ortiz Jr.), so we’re going to give it our best shot.”

Sandman. This 2-year-old Tapit colt was bought by West Point Thoroughbreds, D.J. Stable and CJ Stable in March for $1.2 million. He will debut Thursday in a maiden special weight at Churchill. “We’re excited to run him. I don’t want to say too much because I’d rather let him do the talking.”

Sherbini. This 2-year-old Cairo Prince filly is part owned by Quintessential Racing, and Casse said she is named after Nour El Sherbini of Egypt, the best women’s squash player in the world. She won her June 16 debut at Churchill Downs and will start next in the Schuylerville on Saratoga’s opening day.