Mark Casse

El Magnate (Into Mischief), who was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' following his eventful debut win going 5 1/2 furlongs at Woodbine May 17, doubled up with an effortless score at the Ontario oval Sunday. Sent off the even-money favorite for this second outing, El Magnate was off half a step slowly, but recovered quickly to charge up the rail to the early lead. He was pressed through an opening quarter in :22.25, but began inching clear after a half in :44.78 and he strode home an...

5th-WO $115k, Msw, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, post time: 3:00 p.m. CRYSTAL PEARL (Curlin) gets his belated start for Gold Standard Racing Stable and trainer Mark Casse. Out of GSW and GISP sprinter Miss Sunset, the now 4-year-old was secured for $1.1 million at the 2023 Keeneland September Sale. Working predominantly on the synthetic of late, the bay did post a bullet five-furlong turf work in 1:00 flat (1/24) at Woodbine on May 29. TJCIS PPS   6th-CD $115k, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, post time: 3:18 p.m. STELLENBOSCH (Tapit) debuts for trainer...

5th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 5f, 2:45 p.m. ET. As TDN's Bill Finley reported earlier this week, Horse of the Year Flightline (by Tapit) has his first foal ready to hit the track at Churchill Downs on Friday. GREENWELL was a $500,000 buy for Greg Tramontin during the 2025 Keeneland September Sale. Sent to trainer Mark Casse, the Flightline colt is out of MGSW Cambodia (War Front), who is a half-sister to the dam of GSW Danse Macabre (Army Mule). Also set for a start is another Keeneland grad in Grand...

While the spotlight was rightly focused on Cherie DeVaux last week at Saratoga as she wrapped up two-thirds of the Triple Crown with Golden Tempo (Curlin) with the win in the GI Belmont Stakes, the week that Mark Casse had should not be overlooked. Casse won four stakes races, including three Grade I's. The stars were GI Ogden Phipps Stakes winner Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro), GI Just a Game Stakes winner Classic Q (Classic Empire) and GI Acorn winner Counting Stars (Honor A.P.). Casse was the Gainesway Guest of the Week...

What kind of sire will Horse of the Year Flightline turn out to be? The first hints are right around the corner. Greenwell (Flightline) will make his debut Friday at Churchill Downs in the fifth race for trainer Mark Casse. He will be the first offspring of Flightline to start in North America. The next day, the filly House Boat Party (Flightline), will run in the sixth race at Churchill for trainer Brian Lynch. She will be the first Flightline filly to start in the U.S. Both races are at...

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...

Any concerns about whether or not she was still Queen of the Hill were dispelled Friday as Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) dominated the GI Ogden Phipps Stakes, earning a guaranteed berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff while she was at it. A lot was said about Nitrogen's defeat last out Apr. 11 in the GI Apple Blossom Stakes behind the late Claret Beret (Not This Time), and that came on the heels of a third-place finish Mar. 7 in the GII Azeri Stakes. She'd never missed the board on the...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - A star is born at the Spa. West Point Thoroughbreds's Counting Stars (Honor A. P.), third behind 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Always a Runner (Gun Runner) in the GI Kentucky Oaks, turned the tables on the previously undefeated 4-5 favorite with a spectacular performance in Friday's GI DraftKings Acorn S. at Saratoga. With Irad Ortiz, Jr. taking over the controls from Francisco Arrieta, the 9-2 chance raced under a snug hold on the inside in third as the longest shot on the board Maximum...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - And it's only Belmont Stakes eve. Highlighted by a fantastic renewal of the GI DraftKings Acorn S. featuring four out of the top five finishers from the GI Kentucky Oaks, a stacked 14-race program awaits on day three of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Friday. Three Chimneys Farm and Douglas Scharbauer's 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Always a Runner (Gun Runner) made it a perfect three-for-three with a powerful, come-from-behind victory beneath the lights on the first Friday in May at Churchill Downs....

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Michael McCarthy would like nothing more than to have the wildly popular Journalism (Curlin) return to Saratoga Race Course this summer. "It would be awfully nice if he could," McCarthy said just outside Journalism's stall at the Oklahoma Training Track Thursday morning. "Saratoga, as I keep on saying, is a magical place for horses and people alike. We would be more than happy to bring him back here if the opportunity presented itself." First things first. Journalism, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don...

With June around the corner, the graded stakes calendar heats back up as Churchill Downs hosts its Stephen Foster Preview on Saturday. The local prep for the June 28 running of the GI Stephen Foster Stakes, the GIII Blame Stakes is one of six higher-level races on the card and could be deemed as wide-open. Wathnan Racing's Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) has the class edge though. The 2025 winner of the G1 Dubai World Cup returned to Meydan back in late March, but was unable to duplicate the feat....

Seven 3-year-old males have assembled to contest the annual renewal of the GIII Penn Mile Stakes over the turf on Friday evening. Look for D J Stable's MSW Alpyland (Vekoma) to garner quite a bit of interest by the betting public. Starting back in January, the gelding captured a pair of black-type wins when he took home the hardware in the Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park and in the Columbia Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. The Mark Casse trainee finished fourth in the GI American Turf Stakes on the...