Highlighted by the 2-year-old filly SOUPER SENSATIONAL‘s easy win in the Glorious Song Stakes worth $100,000, the Mark Casse Woodbine string won 5 of the 12 races Oct. 17, making that 7 for the week.
Casse is just 19 wins from 3,000 career victories.
Live Oak Plantation’s two-year-old filly Souper Sensational kept her record perfect with a stunning score in the 7 furlong Glorious Song, the 9th time Casse has sent out the winner of that race.
Ridden by Patrick Husbands, the daughter of Curlin – Kateri by Indian Charlie galloped away to a 4-length win in 1:21.84 on a sunny and cool October day.
“I don’t want to be smart, but she’s one of the best so far I’ve got on as a two-year-old,” praised Husbands, who noted he was immediately impressed by the filly in her morning works and was aboard for her 2-1/4 length winning debut on September 26. “All this horse has got is ‘green light.’ You could do anything with her. She’s just a three-year-old in a two-year-old body.”
Husbands sent the 3-5 favourite to the lead through a first quarter in :22.76 in the seven-furlong main track sprint. Heidi (Daisuke Fukumoto) pressed the pacesetter to the half in :45.78 with Rocket Reload (Justin Stein) looming outside, but Souper Sensational left them all in the dust down the lane as she kicked clear.
Souper Sensational paid $3.20 to win. Javanica (Emma-Jayne Wilson) won the race for place as she closed along the rail from the back, while another Casse trainee, Right to Freedom (Rafael Hernandez), bested the late-closing Charlie’s Penny (Kazushi Kimura) for third prize after stalking the winner throughout.
The 1 1/16 mile Mazarine Stakes on Nov. 22 would seem to be the next logical spot for the $725,000 purchase who was bred by Newtownanner Stud.
The Casse group won 3 of the first 4 races on Saturday. LADY PETROL (GB), owned by eFive Racing won her maiden in race 1 in a 6 furlong turf race with Emma-Jayne Wilson riding.
After Bruno Schickedanz’s BEND IN THE RIVER (Old Forester) won an allowance/optional claiming race under Husbands for trainer Martin Drexler in race 2, the Casse-trained SLEEK LYNX (GB), daughter of Canadian International winner Sarah Lynx (Ire) won her maiden at 6 furlongs on the grass. The Gary Barber gal was adding Lasix for her 3rd race and she had recently been 5th in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes.
Casse’s own filly STARLIGHT RIDGE won her 2nd straight race when she took race 4 for $15,000 claiming, the second with for jockey Rafael Hernandez who got the 100 win mark on Saturday along with rival Justin Stein.
A very unusual 5th race, a maiden 2-year-old race on the grass, was won by Stronach Stables’ RIPTIDE ROCK, bred by Adena Springs in Ontario and a son of Point of Entry – Irish Influence by Stephen Got Even. This beginner, whose 2nd dam is the brilliant mare Relaxing Rhythm, won by 5 lengths after stalking the speed of Ocelot (Big Blue Kitten). At one point, there were 20 lengths from first to last in the 8 horse field and Jackman, one of 2 Casse trainees in the field, had checked into the turn and did some hopping as he dropped back.
Denny Andrews and Niall Brennan’s SUNSPRITE, an Ontario-bred 2-year-old by first crop sire Reload, won an allowance race, race 6, at 5 furlongs on the grass as the heavy favourite. Second in the Victorian Queen Stakes after her debut win, this Andrews homebred is from the mare from Philzana, who incidentally is by Philanthropist, the older half-brother of Reload. Kevin Attard trains the chestnut who won by 4 1/2 lengths.
Race 7 was yet another maiden race on the turf and Stronach Stables grabbed another win, this time with the Mike Doyle-trained GLAMOUROUS GIRL, by Silver Max – Golden Scvarf by Orientate. The 3-year-old was making her 6th start and David Moran rode.
Piano Bar Racing’s multiple stakes winning mare RED CABERNET got back into winning form in a 1/16 mile turf allowance/optional in race 9. The Signature Red mare, who had been well beaten in her first 2 races of 2020, came off an August break and was shrewdly ridden by Steve Bahen, who sent the mare to the lead and slowed the pace down to an incredible 25.28 and 49.46 while her rivals were hard held behind her. That gave the 6-year-old lots left to repel a big rally from the Casse filly Tappitty Tappitty, who went past briefly in the stretch. Ian Black and Jeff Bowen did a masterful job preparing the mare for this race and it was her 8th career win in 30 races, now with earnings of over $390,000 (US).
SPANISH BALLERINA had a nice win in race 10 at 6 furlongs, an allowance race, her 4th win of the year in 7 races. This Frank Huarte-bred, Ruvee Stable 4-year-old by Victor’s Cry – Spanish Decree, by War Deputy led all the way under Emma-Jayne Wilson and held on to take the bulk of a $101,200 purse.
It was no doubt a big pick-me-up win for the Huarte family, who lost their 9-year-old grey gelding SPANISH RIVER earlier in the week when he broke down in a race.
Ramon and Sandra Dominguez sent out LOOKINATAMIRACLE to win race 11 at 7 to 1, dropping the Lookin at Lucky gelding in for $40,000 claiming after two stakes tries. Leo Salles rode.
Casse wrapped up the day as HADLEY won the finale on the inner turf, a maiden race at 1 mile. This gal is owned and was bred by CJ Thoroughbreds and she is by first year sire Tourist.
*Several riders have received suspensions this week. Leo Salles was given 3 days for excessive whipping from a race Oct. 16 (race 5), Justin Stein was handed 3 days for interference for the 5th race Oct. 11 and Jerome Lermyte was given 3 days for whipping from the 5th race Oct. 11.
Hannah Twomey, who showed great athleticism to stay on her horse Polydeuces Friday after the gelding had to be checked on the first turn, was handed a 5-day suspension for careless riding. Twomey managed to stay on the gelding who didn’t want to slow down and she almost fell off a couple of times. In the stretch run, Patrick Husbands brought his mount up to Twomey and gave her a hand to stay on in the final furlong.
*Justin Stein has 101 wins and Rafael Hernandez has 100 wins in the exciting jockey race. There are 2 months remaining in the 2020 season.
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