There are three stepping-stone stakes races to the Kentucky Derby (G1) this weekend and Woodbine's leading trainer Mark Casse has two hopefuls.
Mark Casse
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.
Woodbine's leading trainer won three races at Gulfstream on Jan. 1, including a stake, plus another stake at Oaklawn.
Hernandez led all jockeys, Mark Casse took another trainer's title, and Bruno Schickedanz led all owners as 2025 Woodbine ends.
Eight of the last nine Valedictory Stakes have been won by horses trained by Mark Casse, Marty Drexler, or Kevin Attard.
Bossy Candy was odds-on for the Shady Well Stakes and ran to those odds; Jose Campos broke a shin bone on Saturday.
With a name like Langcrest Farm, the grey Princecrest rates much respect in the 98th Clarendon Stakes at Woodbine on Nov. 23.
For the second straight week, poor fall weather in southern Ontario halted racing at Woodbine, but Sid Attard won with three horses.
More than 75% of the races run on the Tapeta surface at Woodbine have been won on the rail, on a daily basis, for several weeks.
Mark Casse-trained Elysian Field, Olivia Rose, Stormcast and Ticker Tape Home will face five others on the main track on Saturday.
