Casse may send two turf horses to Big Cap

ARCADIA, Calif. -- The turf stakes winners Dynamic Sky and Patriotricandproud are candidates for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 7, trainer Mark Casse said.

Dynamic Sky, a 5-year-old horse owned by John Oxley, finished fifth in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 7. Dynamic Sky won the Grade 3 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct last November. The Big Cap would be Dynamic Sky’s first start on dirt since a fourth in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby in 2013. Saturday, Dynamic Sky worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds at Santa Anita.

Patrioticandproud, a 6-year-old gelding, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber, was seventh in the San Marcos. He was third in the Grade 2 Las Vegas Marathon at 1 3/4 miles on dirt here on Oct. 31.

Saturday, Patrioticandproud worked five furlongs in 1:00.

The Big Cap field is led by Shared Belief, the champion 2-year-old male of 2013 who has won two stakes at the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting – the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on Dec. 26 and the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 7.

Other candidates are Bronzo, Catch a Flight, Cool Samurai, Crimson Giant, Hard Aces, and Sr. Quisqueyano.

Casse said that Conquest Two Step, the winner of the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs on Jan. 31 will run in the $250,000 San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs on March. 7. Discussions were held in February about sending Conquest Two Step to Dubai for the $2 million Golden Shaheen sprint on March 28, but Casse said an American-campaign is preferred.

“We had some concerns with the shipping and decided to stay home,” he said.