Casse has strong hand for juvenile stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse recorded his meet-leading 21st stakes victory in last Saturday’s Glorious Song Stakes and will look to add to that total this weekend with strong representation in both 2-year-old stakes races.

Casse said he likely will run Danzig Moon in the $250,000 Coronation Futurity on Saturday, while Galina Point and Shez a Masterpiece likely will start in the $150,000 Ontario Lassie Stakes on Sunday. But Casse added that there’s a chance that Shez a Masterpiece will take on males in the Coronation Futurity.

Danzig Moon has made both of his starts on dirt, most recently finishing second in a maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs on Oct. 26. But Casse said the horse has trained over Polytrack.

“He’s trained on it down in Florida last winter,” he said. “It’s always good to get a work over it, so we got a work over it [Saturday]. He can run, that horse. His last race at Churchill was very good. He hit the gate coming away from there and circled up wide and ran good.”

Galina Point would be running in the Ontario Lassie just two weeks after winning the South Ocean Stakes on Nov. 15, but Casse said she came out of the South Ocean well and is due for a break after this weekend.

“It’s not ideal, but it’s also the end of the year,” he said. “I don’t mind coming back quick sometimes. When you do come back quick, they need a bit of a break, and she’s going to get a break anyway.”

Meanwhile, Shez a Masterpiece, who was claimed by Casse and owner Gary Barber for $80,000 in her first start at Del Mar on July 23, finished second in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes on Nov. 2. But Casse said a hop at the start likely cost her the victory.