Casse string to be spread out this winter

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Mark Casse is closing in on his eighth straight training title at Woodbine, as he leads all trainers with 84 wins for the meet. With the end of the season quickly approaching, Casse said he will have horses spread out across Florida, California, and Oaklawn Park for the winter.

Several of Casse’s horses who have had success at Woodbine this season are already in California and have their next starts picked out.

Casse said Lexie Lou, the Queen’s Plate winner and probable Canadian champion 3-year-old filly, will make her next start at Del Mar in either the Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Derby against 3-year-old males Nov. 29 or the Grade 1, $300,000 Matriarch Stakes against older fillies and mares Nov. 30.

Casse’s four Breeders’ Cup starters, three of whom are Ontario-bred, also have remained in California for their next stakes engagements.

Casse said Conquest Typhoon, who was fourth in the BC Juvenile Turf, will start at Del Mar in the Grade 3, $150,000 Cecil B. Demille Stakes on Nov. 30, while Conquest Harlanate, who was 11th in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf, is being pointed to the Grade 3, $150,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes on Nov. 29.

Kaigun, 10th in the BC Mile, will run at Del Mar in the Grade 2, $250,000 Seabiscuit Handicap on Nov. 28. Meanwhile, Conquest Eclipse, seventh in the BC Juvenile Fillies, will head to Los Alamitos for the Grade 1, $350,000 Starlet on Dec. 13, Casse said.