Classic Q Takes Them All the Way in the Just a Game

Classic Q (f, 4, Classic Empire–Lovely Em, by Scat Daddy) is proving classy “to a T.” Last seen securing her first graded win on Kentucky Derby Day in the GII Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes, the Gary Barber, Blue Crevalle Racing, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners colorbearer doubled up on Belmont Stakes Day, capturing the $500,000 GI Just a Game Stakes at Saratoga in front-running fashion. In addition to kicking off the graded action on a stellar day of racing for the much-heralded Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the Just a Game marked Classic Q's first score in her first try at the highest level.

Her Hall of Fame trainer, Mark Casse, knows his way around an elite event: he won the first Grade I race on offer Saturday after taking two on Friday at Saratoga. The GI DraftKings Acorn Stakes and the GI Ogden Phipps Stakes were won by his trainees Counting Stars (Honor A. P.) and Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro), respectively.

“I think I'll just retire,” said Casse with a laugh. He also previously won the Just a Game with Tepin (Bernstein) in 2015. “Saratoga has been my life since I was a little boy. It's been my dream, so to be able to accomplish what we've done this weekend is quite amazing.”

Tough on the lead in her previous two tries over Saratoga's inner turf when she got both her first black-type win in last summer's Wild Applause Stakes and her first graded placing shortly after in the GIII Lake George Stakes, Classic Q blasted out of the gate Saturday from the inside post after tossing her head repeatedly while contained in the stalls. She had a length on dual Grade I winner Segesta (Ghostzapper) when the first quarter ticked by in :23.62 and she stayed there, with all positions in the first flight unchanged at the :47.17 half. Rounding the turn, Segesta tried to make up ground as Mandanaba (Fr) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), a GSW & G1SP French visitor and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' who saved ground most of the way, made a run from the inside, but Classic Q repelled all challengers, digging in to hold sway all the way to the wire despite swapping to her incorrect lead for the final sixteenth.

Classic Q finished 1 1/4 lengths on top while getting the mile in 1:32.84. The course record, set in 2019 by Got Stormy (Get Stormy), is 1:32. Mandanaba outfinished Segesta Saturday by a half-length for second.

“I knew when they went in :47 that it was going to take somebody special to beat her. I kept telling [my wife] Tina, 'Johnny's waiting. Johnny's waiting,'” said Casse.

“She's just extremely ornery. [Rider John Velazquez] said she was being so good and when they loaded the last horse, she started acting up. Then, when she breaks, you can't rush her or she'll run off. He gets along with her. He knows her well. She's always been talented, really talented. She's amazing.”

With four graded placings, including in February's GIII Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream,  to add to her two graded wins, Classic Q began 2026 with an off-the-board finish in the GII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Stakes. She's put in three sharp efforts since and starts the summer as a Grade I winner. The former $40,000 Keeneland September yearling came into last summer with a special distinction as well: a new course record at Churchill Downs, when she got a mile in 1:32.91 in a Derby week allowance.

Pedigree Notes:

Classic Empire, trained by Casse to the 2-year-old colt championship of 2016, is the sire of 14 graded winners and 32 black-type winners. In addition to Classic Q, his stakes winners of 2026 include GII Baird Doubledogdare Stakes winner Alpine Princess. He was purchased by the Korea Racing Authority in late 2023 and has been standing in Korea since the 2024 season after beginning his career at Ashford Stud.

Broodmare sire Scat Daddy, who also stood at Ashford before suffering an apparent heart attack in 2015, has proved potent with Classic Empire. The two are responsible for seven stakes winners, all but Classic Q in South America. Scat Daddy has 85 black-type winners as a damsire, including recent GI Preakness Stakes winner Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map) and Thursday's GIII Pennine Ridge Stakes winner West End Kid (Twirling Candy).

Lovely Em, dam of Classic Q and a $38,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland November sale by Barry R. Ostager, has a yearling filly by Vekoma named Red Unit and was bred to Solomini for 2026.

A classic performance from CLASSIC Q!

She earns her first Grade 1 victory in the Just a Game Stakes pres. by @resracingky with @ljlmvel aboard for trainer @markecasse. pic.twitter.com/VUOMYBAA6E

— NYRA (🗽) (@TheNYRA) June 6, 2026

Saturday, Saratoga
JUST A GAME S. PRESENTED BY RESOLUTE RACING-GI, $500,000, Saratoga, 6-6, 4yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:32.84, fm.
1–CLASSIC Q, 122, f, 4, by Classic Empire
            1st Dam: Lovely Em, by Scat Daddy
            2nd Dam: Milagra, by Maria's Mon
            3rd Dam: Tatiani, by Fappiano
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($40,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Gary Barber,
Blue Crevalle Racing and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners;
B-Winning Bloodstock (KY); T-Mark E. Casse; J-John R.
Velazquez. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 15-5-3-1, $1,349,865.
*1/2 to Copper Em (Copper Bullet), SP, $362,915. Werk Nick
Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mandanaba (Fr), 122, f, 4, by Ghaiyyath (Ire)
            1st Dam: Mandesha (Fr) (Hwt.-Fr – at 9 1/2 – 11 f.,
                        Hwt. Older Mare-Fr – at 9 1/2 – 11 f., Hwt.
                         Older Mare-Eng- at 9 1/2 – 11 f., Ch.
                         3-year-old Filly-Eur, MG1SW-Fr, G1SP-Eng,
                         $974,461), by Desert Style (Ire)
            2nd Dam: Mandalara (Ire), by Lahib
            3rd Dam: Madiriya (Ire), by Diesis (GB)
'TDN Rising Star'. O-His Highness the Aga Khan's Studs, Ltd.;
B-Pcsse Zahra Aga Khan (FR); T-Francis – Henri Graffard.
$100,000.
3–Segesta, 124, m, 5, by Ghostzapper
            1st Dam: Antonoe (GISW-USA, GSW-Fr, $565,377),
                        by First Defence
            2nd Dam: Ixora, by Dynaformer
            3rd Dam: Imroz, by Nureyev
O/B-Juddmonte (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $60,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 3/4. Odds: 6.22, 2.88, 1.94.
Also Ran: Deep Satin, And One More Time, Sandtrap (Ire), Fast Market, Buttercream Babe. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.