Casse ships in two graded stakes contenders

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Mark Casse plans to invade New York full throttle later this summer. Perhaps he’ll get a line on how things will go when he brings horses to Belmont Park for two of Saturday’s four graded stakes.

Casse, who ran fifth in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby with Danzig Moon, plans to run Dynamic Sky in the Grade 1 Man o’ War for older horses and Conquest Curlinate in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Dynamic Sky is coming off a neck loss in the Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland, his fourth loss in as many starts this year. His last victory came in New York when he took the Grade 3 Red Smith at Aqueduct, defeating Big Blue Kitten, who won last Saturday’s Fort Marcy Stakes.

Casse, on the morning after the Kentucky Derby, lamented the fact he’s come close to winning several graded stakes the last few weeks. On the same day that Dynamic Sky lost the Elkhorn by a neck, Conquest Curlinate lost a nose decision in the Grade 3 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne.

Over the weekend at Churchill, Noble Bird lost the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes by a head to Protonico ,while Sky Captain was beaten a head in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic. Sky Captain was disqualified and placed fourth.

“Necks and noses cost us a million bucks,” Casse said. “It’s been crazy. Nobody remembers when you run second.”

Casse felt Conquest Curlinate ran very well in the Illinois Derby, falling a nose short to the Bob Baffert-trained Whiskey Ticket.

“I thought it was really good,” Casse said. “He doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing yet. He got caught seven or eight wide turning for home and got beat by a nose.”

One race Casse did win over the weekend was the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile with Tepin, who will be considered for the Grade 1 Just a Game here on Belmont Stakes Day.

Casse said he plans to have 30 or so horses this summer in Saratoga. He said he plans to ship horses up there in the first week of July, shortly after the Churchill meet concludes.