Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse has had an incredible start to 2026 and a wild Oaklawn meeting. On January 3, his three-year-old students, Strategic Risk and Silent Tactic, both owned by John Oxley, finished one-two in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for three-year-olds.
Strategic Risk, under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, took command on the outside turning for home en route to a 4 ½-length victory over stablemate Silent Tactic in the 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones, Oaklawn’s first of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races. The top two finishers are both owned by John Oxley.
Baytown Dreamer, an 84-1 shot, finished third, three-quarters of a length behind Silent Tactic, a Woodbine winner who was making his dirt debut. Sleepingonfreedom, who finished fourth, was followed, in order, by previously unbeaten Rancho Santa Fe, Scar Ship, Universe (the 2-1 favourite), and Oscar’s Hope.
Strategic Risk ($7) shadowed front-running Scar Ship on the outside through a pedestrian :49.72 half-mile, then drew off through the stretch. The winning time over a fast track was 1:45.06.
Strategic Risk’s Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form, was a career-best 87.
The Smarty Jones was the meet-high fourth stakes victory for Casse and pushed his overall record to 11 for 23 through the first 12 days of the 64-day split season.
Strategic Risk, an Oxley homebred, collected 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the victory, his third from six lifetime starts. Strategic Risk, by Noble Bird, has earned $392,300. In his previous start, Strategic Risk was a nine-length winner of the restricted Florida Sire In Reality Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Nov. 29 at Gulfstream Park.
PEDIGREE NOTES
John Oxley, one of Mark Casse’s longtime clients, has won a Kentucky Derby, the 2001 edition with Monarchos. Casse has trained champion Classic Empire for Oxley as well as many Canadian-bred stars for the Texas oilman, including champions DIXIE STRIKE, DYNAMIC SKY and Horse of the Year UNCAPTURED.
Oxley has won three Sovereign Awards for Outstanding Owner and has over 560 wins as an owner (not including partnerships). Oxley has a much smaller stable these days; he had just 28 starters last year.
Oxley bred Strategic Risk in Florida and he raced the colt’s sire, NOBLE BIRD, who won the Pimlico Special (G1) and Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) with Casse training. Noble Bird (Birdstone) won over $1.3 million, but didn’t wow the world at stud. In 2023 he was sold in a digital sale for $34,000 to FMQ Stables in Saudi Arabia.
Strategic Risk’s dam is the unraced Afleet Alex mare Strategize, bred by Charles Fipke, and whose dam Strategy is a daughter of champion EDUCATED RISK (Phipps Stable). Educated Risk’s dam is Pure Profit, who also produced Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner INSIDE INFORMATION.
Strategize has produced seven named foals, five to race, including STRATEGIC BIRD, a stakes-winning filly in 2022.
Winning and Runner-up Trainer Mark Casse (via phone): “I communicated this morning back and forth with Javier (Castellano). I told him, looking at everything, I said: ‘I don’t think they can beat him.’ We felt pretty confident going in. I thought his last race, I know that he didn’t beat a lot in the Stallion Stakes, but the way he did it and the ease he did it with, I just felt like he was going to be tough. Now, midway through the card, I communicated with Javier again and said: ‘Boy oh boy, speed is very tough.’ He said: ‘Yeah, I know, I’m worried about that.’ But once they broke and he was where he was, I always thought he was a winner. I just watched the replay and the horse that ran a heck of a race was Silent Tactic, because he got bothered two or three times down the backside. They just made it tight on him. He came running. That was his first dirt race, so I think he’ll move forward as well.”
Note: Casse said Strategic Risk will be pointed to the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Jan. 31 at Oaklawn.
Winning Jockey Javiar Castellano (Strategic Risk): “I really liked the way today, especially in the post parade, the way he warmed up. Very comfortable and a very happy horse. Felt like he was a strong horse and feeling good. He broke good out of the gate. I used him enough to get position. It seemed like two or three horses had the main speed. I thought I might go and be behind the speed, but I saw only one horse go for the lead (Scar Ship). He dictated the pace and I just followed him every step. Felt comfortable and happy that he was where he wanted to be. It seemed to me the pace wasn’t too fast. I just enjoyed the ride. Turning for home, when I asked him, he just took off. I liked the way he finished. He galloped out beautifully. His stride was strong and steady. Enjoyed the ride. Very happy to be here.”
Fifth-place Jockey Florent Geroux (Rancho Santa Fe): “Just broke a touch slow. He’s not the quickest away from the gate, but the pace was very slow. I was right next to the runner-up (Silent Tactic) and he just pretty much pushed me out of the way at the three-eighths pole and went on to be second.”
-with files from Oaklawn media
More News
