Casa Creed eyes fourth Fourstardave appearance

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Casa Creed came out of his one-length victory over Annapolis in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso Stakes in good order and is tentatively pointing to the Grade 1 Fourstardave here on Aug. 12, his connections said Sunday.

If it is deemed the 7-year-old needs more time, then the back-up plan would be the Woodbine Mile on Sept. 16.

“It’s four weeks back to the Fourstardave, that could be a little quick back,” trainer Bill Mott said Sunday. “You’ll probably never know 'til you run him.”

Casa Creed has run at least one race at Saratoga for six straight years. He won his maiden in an off-the-turf race here in 2018 and he won the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes in 2019. He has run in three consecutive runnings of the Fourstardave, finishing third in 2020 and 2021 before winning it last year.

“He’s developed quite a following here,” part-owner Lee Einsidler said. “The whole grandstand was cheering for him when he came back.”

Casa Creed earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for the win.

If he runs in the Fourstardave, Casa Creed will most certainly face Annapolis again. Annapolis was a little farther back entering the first turn than planned and then got held up a bit at the quarter pole.

“Our strategy was we wanted to be laying third behind [Big Everest] and [Filo Di Arianna], they looked like the main speed,” Todd Pletcher, trainer of Annapolis said. “He tossed his head a touch at the start and got jostled around, so were sixth in the second pocket instead of the first pocket. Luis [Saez on Casa Creed] was outside of us, held us in there and got first run on us. I thought he did well once he got clear, just had a really good horse get the jump on us.”

Pletcher said Emmanuel, winner of the Grade 3 Poker at Belmont on June 10, is also possible for the Fourstardave.

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