Mark Casse

J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables' Sandman (Tapit), who overcame a tangled start in the Jan. 25 GIII Southwest Stakes before closing from the back to finish second under Cristian Torres, will make his next start in the Feb. 22 GII Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn, confirmed Mark Casse Sunday. Casse also said Sandman will remain at Oaklawn, where the trainer has a string in Hot Springs for the first time since 2019. The Rebel is Oaklawn's final major prep for the $1.5-million GI Arkansas Derby...

We're learning more every day about the relationship between horses and mankind and how people struggling with such things as PTSD so often thrive and recover when working closely with horses. But can it work the other way? Can a human have such a positive and calming effect on a horse that a bond and relationship develops that makes the horse prosper? In the case of GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational winner White Abarrio (Race Day) and his groom Eduardo (Lalo) Diaz, it looks like that might be the case....

Morning line 5-2 favorite Locked (Gun Runner) drew post 11 for Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup during Sunday's draw at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Todd Pletcher on behalf of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm, the winner of last month's GI Cigar Mile has a single horse to his outside, that being the sole filly in the field, GI Alabama heroine Power Squeeze (Union Rags), who was given a 30-1 chance on the morning line. "He's a horse that we always felt would be better going longer, so we're looking...

9th-Gulfstream, $78,840, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 1-11, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:40.44, fm, 1 1/4 lengths. DREAM ON (c, 3, Not This Time--Mamma Kimbo {GSW, $242,250}, by Discreet Cat) put together a classy juvenile campaign, breaking his maiden second asking when switched to the turf at Ellis Park and earning placings in the Soar Free Stakes and, more notably, in the GI bet365 Summer Stakes at Woodbine going one mile Sept. 14. Fifth at odds of 15-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar Nov. 1, Dream On...

Coming into this contest already dually placed at the highest level, Nitrogen (Medagalia d'Oro) turned on the nitrous in the stretch to run down her rivals and claim her first stakes victory. Last seen running third Nov. 1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf behind European powerhouse, 'TDN Rising Star', and multiple Group/Grade I winner Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), and GSW May Day Ready (Tapit), Nitrogen had earlier tried Canadian Grade I company at Woodbine. Third in the GI Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes Sept. 14 behind GISW...

1st-Gulfstream, $75,000, Msw, 1-4, 3yo, 1mT, 1:34.83, fm, 1/2 length. SOUPER TIMES (c, 3, Not This Time--Royale Paradise, by Unbridled's Song), a first-time starter debuting around two turns, broke widest of the 10-horse field but shifted down to be just two wide into the first turn while racing mid pack. Never far off the front and enjoying a clean trip past the half in :47.53, the 8-1 shot began to come under a drive while fanning out six across the top of the stretch as the group began to chip...

In September of 2022, an Ontario-bred by the name of Patches O'Houlihan kicked off his career at Woodbine, winning a 5 1/2-furlong test by 4 1/2 lengths. Less than two months later, 20-year-old Sofia Vives launched her career as a jockey while recording her first victory aboard Bodacious Miss (Bodemeister), also in a 5 1/2-furlong race at the Etobicoke oval. While over a year removed from joining forces, the son of Reload and the South Carolina native both rode the wave of 2023, capping off their respective seasons with a...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Fasig-Tipton October Yearlings Sale continued its brisk pace Wednesday, with figures tracking towards a record gross figure as the auction heads into its final session Thursday. "It was another excellent session of the October sale," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. "The sale continued to show strength and consistency in bidding activity from the beginning to the end of the session." Through three sessions, 839 yearlings have grossed $43,346,500 for an average of $51,664 and a median of $20,000. At the same point a year ago,...

Seemingly hopelessly beaten turning for home in Sunday's GIII Matron Stakes, Abientot turned on all boosters late to collect her first career black-type victory in New York. Breaking well from the 10-hole, the Tracy Farmer runner was eased to the back by Dylan Davis as first Flirting With Time (Yorkton) and then Laurice (Bolt d'Oro) led through opening fractions of :21.58 and :44.48. Finally unfurling her legs turning for home, Abientot was moving twice as fast as everyone else down the lane, caught the front running rank in the final...

Continuing an important weekend as next month's Breeders' Cup World Championships rapidly approach, Keeneland's GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes headlines Sunday's graded stakes action spanning from coast to coast. A 'Win and You're In' for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, the Spinster has six contenders signed on, including last season's champion older mare Idiomatic (Curlin), who draws the rail under regular pilot Florent Geroux. The winner of a trio of Grade I stakes in 2023--capped off by the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita--the Juddmonte homebred has proven consistent at...

8th-Belmont The Big A, $90,000, Msw, 10-3, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:09.68, fm, 2 lengths. CANDY QUEST (f, 2, Connect--Candy Crush, by Candy Ride {Arg}), a $225,000 Keeneland September yearling who was the priciest of her sire's 31 yearlings reported as sold in 2023 (43 ring), set her sights on heavily favored Tam I Am (Authentic) entering the final eighth of a mile and kicked past with relative ease to graduate in very professional fashion at first asking Thursday afternoon. Live on the board at 9-2 from a 5-1 morning line,...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued ahead of its 2023 edition as Book 3 concluded Sunday night with a colt by Maxfield leading the way when selling for $575,000. Through the two Book 3 sessions, 526 yearlings sold through the ring for a gross of $83,880,000. The section's average was $159,468--up 4.7% from a year ago--and the median was $130,000, an increase of 13.04%. Ten horses sold for $500,000 or more, compared to 13 hitting that mark a year ago. During last year's Book 3 section, 562...