Casa Creed gets a chance to step up in Champagne

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Bill Mott announced a few weeks ago that Mucho, the runner-up in the Grade 1 Hopeful, would be turned out for the remainder of the year. But Mott’s 2-year-old cupboard is hardly bare.

Mott will be a participant in both Grade 1 stakes run in the division this weekend, including with Casa Creed in Saturday’s Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. The Champagne, a Win and You’re In for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs, drew a field of 10 topped by Grade 2 Saratoga Special winner Call Paul.

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Casa Creed finished sixth in his debut on July 28 Saratoga. In an atypical move for Mott, he wheeled Casa Creed back in a week. The race was scheduled for the turf, but was rained off to the main track. Casa Creed stayed in and scored a 1 1/2-length victory going seven furlongs.

Saturday, Casa Creed, a son of Jimmy Creed, stretches out to a mile in the Champagne.

“His disposition and everything seems it is going to allow him to get a mile,” said Mott, who is also running Unionizer in Saturday’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. “He’s very kind and manageable. It doesn’t mean he’ll do it, it gives me the indication it’ll certainly be possible.”

Casa Creed spent most of the summer in Saratoga, but Mott shipped him down in time to get a work over the track and the trainer was pleased with what he saw.

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Though Junior Alvarado was aboard for Casa Creed’s first two starts, Alvarado committed to ride Trophy Chaser in the Champagne. Trophy Chaser is a Gulfstream shipper who earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure winning his maiden by 15 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream on Aug. 25. David Cohen will ride Casa Creed in the Champagne.

The Champagne field, from the rail out, is: Endorsed, Trophy Chaser, Achilles Warrior, Complexity, Call Paul, Listing, Successful Zip, Code of Honor, Aurelius Maximus, and Casa Creed.