Casse brings power trio into Hamilton

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse will take a strength-in-numbers approach into the $100,000 Hamilton Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday, when he runs Eyes On the King, Conman, and Lifetime of Chance in the 7 1/2-furlong inner turf event for 3-year-olds.

Eyes On the King had a successful 2022 campaign at Gulfstream Park, where he won at first asking in a dirt sprint and won a two-turn allowance/$75,000 claimer on the Tapeta among his three starts. He went to the sidelines after an 11th-place finish in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man Stakes, and wound up seventh most recently March 4 in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park.

Eyes On the King has been working strongly here on the Tapeta, including a fast five-eighths from the gate in 59.80 on July 16. Rafael Hernandez will ride the first-time-Lasix user.

“I’m looking forward to the chance to ride this horse,” Hernandez said. “He had some tough races against some good horses in his last two starts, but he’s been working very well.”

Conman was knocking on the door against New York-bred first-level allowance company in the spring, before getting the job done going seven-eighths at Belmont Park on June 9. He had significant early trouble most recently when sixth going a mile at Saratoga.

Casse’s go-to jockey, Patrick Husbands, will ride Conman, a $300,000 yearling purchase by Constitution. Heading into this week, Casse and Husbands were 20 for 59 together at the meet.

Lifetime of Chance was freshened after a fading fifth in the May 29 Mike Lee Stakes at Belmont. He won a $200,000 division of the New York Stallion Series in his first start for Casse on April 22 at Aqueduct. Sahin Civaci will ride the son of The Lieutenant, who has made all eight of his starts on dirt and doesn’t have any turf breeding in his first dam.

Maryland shipper Sir Lancelot figures to lead the way in his first grass start. He won his first two outings at 2, including a 6 1/2-furlong Tapeta stakes at Presque Isle Downs. Exiting an extended layoff over a sloppy track in the July 16 My Frenchman Stakes at Monmouth Park, he battled two wide for the lead before tiring to fourth.

Sir Lancelot is by the good 14 percent turf sprint sire Goldencents. His stakes-winning dam was unplaced on the grass, but has produced five winners from eight turf starters.

Leading jockey Kazushi Kimura has been lured to ride Sir Lancelot by trainer Mike Stidham, who has won with two of his four starters at this meet.

Presque Isle-based Dreaming of Kona was cross-entered in Sunday’s Grade 3 West Virgina Derby at Mountaineer, in which he’s 20-1 on the morning line. Trained by Aldana Speith, the son of Fast Anna finished fifth most recently in his turf debut in the Grade 3 Manilla at Belmont.

Rounding out the Hamilton lineup are Keen Flatter and Mehlek.