It is a little after five o’clock in the morning and trainer Mark Casse is already at his stable of blue-blooded thoroughbreds, located deep in the south corner of the Woodbine backstretch. Some 40 primped and primed equines and two dozen human staff get ready for their daily routines upon their boss’s arrival.

Year after year the Casse stable has, in his words, operated like a “well oiled machine” and the proof is in the numbers. In 2010, Casse led all Woodbine trainers by wins and purse money earned for the fourth consecutive year. “I am very proud of my Woodbine team,” said Casse. “I never have any worries, everyone who works for me knows their duties and what is expected.”

And expectations continue to be high for one of the top stables in North America as prominent owners such as Canadian Eugene Melnyk and American John Oxley have entrusted their expensive homebreds and purchases with the 50-year-old and his staff.

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