Casse has three pointing to Kentucky Oaks preps
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Mark Casse has had three notable fillies shine over the Oaklawn meet, and Counting Stars, Search Party and French Friction are all being pointed to upcoming Kentucky Oaks preps.
Counting Stars ran in one earlier this month, when second in the Grade 3, $750,000 Honeybee on March 1 at Oaklawn. She finished three-quarters of a length behind Explora, who is arguably the early favorite for the Kentucky Oaks.
“I thought she was going to get that filly, but the other filly’s tough,” Casse said. “I kind of felt all along [Counting Stars] was an Oaks filly and I think she showed that the other day. So, she’ll stay and run in the Fantasy.”
The Grade 2, $1 million Fantasy will be held March 27 at Oaklawn.
Earlier this meet, Counting Stars won the Astral Spa overnight stakes and the Year’s End Stakes. She races for West Point Thoroughbreds.
Search Party won her maiden in December at Oaklawn and proceeded to take the Martha Washington Stakes on Feb. 6 in a race that, along with the Southwest, was delayed a week due to an ice storm. Search Party then ran fourth in the Honeybee.
“I thought that Search Party ran well,” Casse said. “The quick turnaround probably hurt her more than anyone of ours. She gave everything she had to win. I think Search Party is one that looks bigger and stronger to me. I was looking at her today and she’s coming around, so we’re going to stay and run her in the Fantasy, as well.”
Search Party is a daughter of Gun Runner who races for her breeder, Tracy Farmer.
French Friction has won both of her starts at the Oaklawn meet for D.J. Stable. The daughter of City of Light romped by six lengths in a maiden special weight sprint, then returned to win the Dixie Belle Stakes by more than five lengths in her most recent out Feb. 14.
“We’re going to go to the Ashland,” Casse said.
The Grade 1, $750,000 Ashland willbe run at Keeneland on April 3.
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