Casse barn gets off to strong start at meet

FRANKLIN, Ky. – With assistant David Carroll rooting them home, two stakes winners on the opening-day card made trainer Mark Casse the biggest winner to start the Runhappy meet. Hanalei Moon captured the $250,000 One Dreamer, and Peace Achieved capped the day in the $500,000 Gainesway Farm Juvenile, with both returning $12 win mutuels.

“It was a great day for us,” said Carroll, whose vocal encouragement during any given stretch run is among the strongest in the business. “We’re very proud of the horses and the staff and very happy for the owners.”

Peace Achieved goes next at Keeneland in the Oct. 6 Bourbon, a Win and You’re In toward the BC Juvenile Turf.

Huge Saturday on tap

Besides Arklow, the Kentucky Turf Cup also is expected to get the Mike Maker pair of Big Picture and Zulu Alpha as major contenders. The 1 1/2-mile race is one of five stakes set for Saturday, along with the first Win and You’re In in Kentucky Downs history, the $700,000 Runhappy Turf Sprint.

The other Saturday stakes are the Three Chimneys Ladies Turf, the Spendthrift Farm Ladies Sprint, and the Juvenile Turf Sprint. All entries are to be drawn Tuesday.

The Sunday card (entries drawn Wednesday) will be highlighted by twin stakes for 3-year-olds, the Dueling Grounds Derby and Dueling Grounds Oaks, both at 1 5/16 miles. The Sunday card also will include four $100,000 designated preps toward the Nov. 30 Claiming Crown series at Gulfstream Park.

◗ Another Kentucky Downs wagering record is likely to fall Saturday. All-sources handle on opening day was $8,464,103, easily surpassing the former record for an opener ($6,185,062 in 2018). The all-time track record of $10,039,008 was set last Sept. 8 on Kentucky Turf Cup Day.