Gary Barber's New York-bred gelding got away with a slow pace and Zulu Kingdom stayed close in the Grade 2 Kelso Stakes.
Mark Casse
Ontario-bred Shifty, bred by Anderson Farms and owned by D.J. Stable, had an easy trip in the Grade 3 Royal North Stakes.
The inner turf contests feature Mark Casse's trio of trainees in the Royal North and Miss Vyvyanne looking to make it five in a row in the Highlander.
An Ontario-bred colt named Canada sold to Len and Jon Green's D.J. Stable for $400,000 in Ocala on Thursday.
The Mark Casse trainee faces five rivals in the $125,000 Queenston, an early season Plate prep which Casse has won on three occasions.
This year's second jewel of the Triple Crown does not have the Kentucky Derby winner in the field and will be run at Laurel.
Silent Tactic has the style to be a Kentucky Derby (G1) winner; he is owned by John Oxley, the breeder of one of the faves, Further Ado.
The Ontario-bred by Cairo Prince became the eighth graded stakes winner for owner Gary Barber at Keeneland.
There are three stepping-stone stakes races to the Kentucky Derby (G1) this weekend and Woodbine's leading trainer Mark Casse has two hopefuls.
My Boy Prince wins the $100,000 Turf Dash at Tampa Bay, Jokestar takes the $100,000 Stakes at Laurel; Luv Your Neighbor just misses.
Canadian horses and horsepeople continue make noise this winter, breeders are welcoming foals, and the Woodbine backstretch opens Feb. 23.
The richest race in the world has attracted 14 entrants, while Woodbine's leading trainer sends out Time To Dazzle in the $2M Turf Sprint.
All John Oxley's colt needed for the $1 million Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn on Feb. 5 was some sharp pace up front.
Popular young rider finished a close second in the Woodbine jockey standings in 2025; Sovereignty named best horse, Nitrogen best filly.
John Oxley, a three-time Sovereign Award winner, owns the 1-2 finishers in an early Kentucky Derby prep and both are trained by Mark Casse.
