Arkansas Derby: Conquest Titan, Thundergram offer contrasting styles for Casse

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Mark Casse is pointing Conquest Titan and Thundergram to the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, and the horses give him a two-pronged approach to the April 12 race. Thundergram has done his best work on the front end, while Conquest Titan is a deep closer.

Casse has a division of horses at Oaklawn this meet for the first time in decades, and earlier in the season, it appeared that Coastline might land in the Arkansas Derby. But he did not handle the local surface and has been redirected to the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keene-land the same afternoon, Casse said, following his close third in the Grade 3 Spiral on Turfway Park’s Polytrack.

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As for Thundergram, he has come to hand at Oaklawn. He won a maiden special weight race at 1 1/16 miles on the first card of the meet Jan. 10 and then, one start later, was second by a half-length in a competitive optional $75,000 claiming route March 16. He will be making his first start in a stakes in the Arkansas Derby.

“He’s run twice at Oaklawn and run very well both times,” Casse said. “His last race, he missed some time after he broke his maiden. I thought his last race was very good, and if he can build on that performance, you know, anything’s possible.”

Thundergram is a son of Graeme Hall, who won the Arkansas Derby on the front end in 2000. Thundergram is a full brother to Grade 3 winner Hurricane Ike and is owned by John Oxley.

Conquest Titan will be invading from Casse’s division at Churchill Downs. He was the favorite last out in the Grade 2
Tampa Bay Derby and was fourth after racing closer to the pace than usual. One start earlier, he was second to Cairo Prince in the Grade 2 Holy Bull at Gulfstream. Casse said there were different reasons to target the Arkansas Derby.

“We had a couple of options,” he said. “Obviously, we could have went to the Florida Derby. [But] it was back a little quicker, plus the speed-favoring track. I thought Oaklawn Park might suit him a little better with his running style.”

Casse said Calvin Borel has the mount on Conquest Titan, a son of Birdstone.

“The last Birdstone he rode worked out,” said Casse, referring to the late-running Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.

Conquest Titan races for the Conquest Stable operation of Ernie Semersky and Dory Newell. Earlier in his career, Conquest Titan won the $125,000 Swynford at Woodbine and was 13th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

The Arkansas Derby closes out the meet at Oaklawn. It’s also the centerpiece of the Racing Festival of the South, when the track puts on a host of major stakes over the final week of the meet. Casse said next season, he could be back at Oaklawn.

“It was nice for us,” he said. “I hope to come back next year. It’s been a real positive experience for everybody involved. I think my owners have been happy. My employees have loved it.”