The Ontario-bred ARMSTRONG, winner of the $150,000 Clarendon Stakes at Woodbine in his third career race on December 9, makes his 3-year-old debut in the $125,000 Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on January 14.
Owned by Gary Barber and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Armstrong was bred by Craig Cameron and sold through agent Sue Foreman for $220,000 at the Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale in Lexington, Kentucky in 2021. A son of Mucho Macho Man, Armstrong, a bay colt, is from the mare Jesters Jazz by Mr. Jester.
Armstrong, trained by Mark Casse, was third in his career debut in July 2022 and then won his maiden on November 6 at 5 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta at Woodbine. He won a race-long duel with multiple stakes winner Poulin in O T to win the Clarendon Stakes by a neck at 6 furlongs.
Armstrong has post 5 in the Pasco and will be ridden by Antonio Gallardo.
Casse will also saddle the race’s 6-to-5 morning line favourite CHAMPIONS DREAM (Justify), a colt he recently received from Rosedown Racing Stables. Champions Dream won the Grade 3 Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 6 at one mile.
Casse told Daily Racing Form, “Both horses seem to be in the same situation in that they’ve already had some success but still have something to prove.” Casse, who will make the short drive over from his Ocala base to be at the races Saturday, added, “But both are training extremely well, and we’d like to see good performances to maybe set them up for something like the Sam Davis,” a Kentucky Derby qualifier set for Feb. 11 at Tampa.
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