Casse juveniles impress in works

The connections of horses who pre-entered two oversubscribed Breeders’ Cup races were given a couple of extra days, until Monday, to declare their preference. Siding Spring lended trainer Mark Casse a hand ahead of that deadline with an impressive work at Churchill Downs that had the trainer giving the nod to the Juvenile over the Juvenile Turf.

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Siding Spring worked four furlongs in 47.60 - with a second quarter of 22.80, per Churchill Downs clockers – while finishing well clear of a workmate. Casse termed the move “awesome.”

“I think we’re going to go for the dirt,” he said.

The Juvenile will mark the first start on dirt for Siding Spring. The Warrior’s Reward colt won his debut at Kentucky Downs, then finished third to stablemate Airoforce in the Grade 3 Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland.

Siding Spring gives Casse a pair of Juvenile hopefuls. The trainer also sent Keeneland maiden winner Conquest Big E out to work Friday at Churchill Downs, with the colt going a half in 48.40, finishing four lengths in front of workmate City Flyer. Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan was aboard.

“Big E was just awesome again,” Casse said of the colt, who also toyed with a workmate last week. “As impressive as he was last time, he may even have been more impressive today.

“Shaun had him geared down from a sixteenth after the work started. He was geared down the last three-eighths of a mile.”

Conquest Big E and Siding Spring are ranked 15th and 17th, respectively, among the Juvenile pre-entries, and would need some help to make the field of 14. But with several horses ahead of them having first preference in the oversubscribed Juvenile Turf, the picture could clear soon.

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Multiple Grade 1 winner Tepin turned in her final work for the Breeders’ Cup Mile with a half-mile breeze in 49.80.

“Tepin had a good, solid work,” Casse said. “She went a little faster today than she did last time.”

Airoforce, in company with Souper Awesome, worked a half in 48.40. The colt earned an automatic berth into the Juvenile Turf with his win in the Bourbon.