Mark Casse

Woodbine Oaks Preview

Trainer Mark Casse is holding a hot hand for Sunday’s $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser. Already a two-time winner of Canada’s most important race for Canadian-bred three-year-old fillies, Casse will saddle two hopefuls for owner John Oxley, likely favourite Dixie Strike and Northern Passion, and one for Eugene Melnyk, the promising Black Bird Rock. […]

Roxy Gap ‘Sens-ational’ in Whimsical

Eugene Melnyk’s homebred Roxy Gap was an impressive off-the-pace winner of Sunday’s $181,800 Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes, at Woodbine. Roxy Gap, trained by 2011 Sovereign Award-winning conditioner Mark Casse, broke sharply in the six-furlong ‘Poly’ sprint but was quickly settled by jockey Patrick Husbands.  Honey Chile led the field through a half in :45.11, as […]

Prospective Powers to Tampa Bay Derby Score

Prospective, conditioned by Woodbine’s leading trainer Mark Casse and ridden to victory by Woodbine’s leading rider Luis Contreras, all but stamped his ticket for the Kentucky Derby with a strong stretch run in Saturday’s Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby.   The dark bay son of Malibu Moon-Spirited Away, owned by John C. Oxley, wore […]

Top Filly Dixie Strike Named Queen’s Plate Winterbook choice

Filly Dixie Strike, trained by champion conditioner Mark Casse and owned by John Oxley, was today installed as the 4-1 favourite for the 153rd edition of the Queen’s Plate, following in the footsteps of her half-sister, 2011 Queen’s Plate heroine, Inglorious. Last year, Inglorious, who also captured the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser, rallied […]

Derby Dreams Abound for Woodbine Connections

In February, some 397 three-year-olds were nominated to the 2012 U.S. Triple Crown, (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes) including seven horses trained by Woodbine’s leading trainer Mark Casse.   The 2012 Kentucky Derby, which will be held on May 5 at Churchill Downs, is limited to 20 starters.  Should more than 20 horses […]

Casse, Contreras Set Records During 2011 Woodbine Meet

The year-end drama had played out well before Sunday’s huge 13-race season-ending card at Woodbine, but many of the magical moments of the meet were no less historic. Mark Casse set records in both major training categories. It was a fifth straight training title and sixth overall for Casse, who won 119 races, shattering the […]

Casse on the Case: Champion Conditioner on Cusp of Impressive Record

Three-time Sovereign Award-winning conditioner Mark Casse will look to break the mark of 89 wins by a trainer in a single Woodbine meet, a record he currently shares with the late Frank Passero, Wednesday evening at the Toronto oval. Set to become the Toronto oval’s top trainer for the fifth consecutive campaign, Casse will saddle […]