Casse Bids for Ill Derby Repeat

Trainer Mark Casse has two chances for a second-straight win in Saturday’s $400,000 GIII Illiniois Derby, having saddled Dynamic Impact (Tiznow) in the somewhat maligned Hawthorne feature 12 months ago. Gary Barber’s Kantune(Kantharos) knocked on the door six times before finally breaking through at Oaklawn Jan. 23, but was 10th in that venue’s GIII Southwest S. over a sloppy track Feb. 22. The bay was third last time behind Phenomenal Phoenix in a Hot Springs allowance Mar. 26. Conquest Stables’s Conquest Curlinate (Curlin) was fifth on debut sprinting at Woodbine in November, and rallied from out of the clouds to win well going long at Oaklawn Jan. 31. He too was most recently third in an allowance at that venue Feb. 19. 

Bob Baffert trainee Midnight Hawk (Midnight Lute) was out-nosed by Dynamic Impact in last year’s race, but the Hall of Famer has a chance to exact revenge this time around with Pegram, Watson and Weitman’s Whiskey Ticket (Ghostzapper). The dark bay has only been out once before–he dueled his way to a head success going a mile at Santa Anita Mar. 19, good for a 91 Beyer Speed Figure. 

Favored on the morning line at 3-1 is another California invader in Cross the Line (Line of David). The Jerry Hollendorfer pupil took the California Derby at Golden Gate Jan. 17, and was second in the GIII El Camino Real Derby Feb. 14. He was most recently fifth in the GI Santa Anita Derby in his conventional dirt debut Apr. 4. 

Richard Ravin and Patricias Hope LLC’s Lewys Vaporizer (Lewis Michael) is a bit of an x-factor. He showed very little in his Arlington debut last May, but resurfaced over six furlongs here Mar. 27 to post a head-turning 11 3/4-length romp.