Casse Aims For the Roses Saturday

Conditioner Mark Casse has two very good chances at ending up in the GI Kentucky Derby starting gate and Saturday’s prep races will make the final determination. Conquest Titan (Birdstone) heads to Oaklawn for the GI Arkansas Derby, while Coastline (Speightstown) will contest Keeneland’s GI Toyota Blue Grass S. 
Conquest Titan was last seen finishing fourth in the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 8. 
“I keep scratching my head,” Casse said. “I’m not really sure what to make of [the Tampa Bay Derby]. I am just going to throw it out and move on to the next one.” 
The dark bay boasts an optional claiming win over the Churchill Downs surface Nov. 30 and has been training there since the Tampa Bay Derby. He fired a half-mile bullet there Monday in :47.40. 
“He works extremely well,” Casse commented. “I was very pleased. He loves Churchill Downs, so we decided to get him on up to Churchill and let him train there. He actually went just a little faster than I wanted. I wanted him to go in :48 and he went in :47 2/5. Like I said, he loves Churchill Downs we just have to get him there.” 
Calvin Borel will be aboard Conquest Titan for the first time Saturday. He was previously ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan. 
“I think Calvin is really good with horses that come from way out of it,” Casse said. “I love Shaun. He did a great job with the horse, but in my eyes he is not the perfect fit and I just think Calvin is. I hope I’m right.” 
Casse is hoping Borel can help negotiate a different trip than the one Conquest Titan had in the Tampa Bay Derby. 
“I thought in the Tampa Bay Derby we made a middle move and then got stopped a little bit,” Casse remarked. “We were stuck down on the rail and then he just didn’t run. I am not going to tell you we wont be coming up the rail because Calvin loves to come up the rail. I am hoping we are going to be back a way and make one big run. Hopefully that will be the answer.” 
Casse added, “He is at the top of his game and we will just have to see where that stacks up.” 
Coastline has also displayed an affinity for the Churchill surface, having won the Street Sense S. there last October. Fourth two back in Oaklawn’s GIII Southwest S. Feb. 17, the gray was last seen finishing third in the GIII Spiral S. at Turfway Park Mar. 22. 
“I was very pleased [with the Spiral],” Casse said. “Coastline is another horse that if you look at his Churchill form it has always been very good. We just need to get to Churchill Downs. We took him to Arkansas and he just didn’t get over that track as well as we had hoped. He ran okay, but he didn’t run great.” 
Coastline broke his maiden on the Keeneland synthetic and after his last two preps, Casse felt that was the best place for Coastline to attempt to secure his spot in the Derby starting gate. 
“His race at Keeneland last year over the synthetic was a really super race,” Casse commented. “That is why I took him to the Spiral. Mr. Oxley and I had a conversation after the Spiral and said let’s go to Keeneland and see how things go. I think he has a big shot to win the Blue Grass and it is a lot of money. If he runs well and comes out of it good, you still may see us on Derby day.”