Casse trainees La Cara, Sandman doing great after big prep wins

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Trainer Mark Casse was looking around for wood to knock on in the Keeneland winner’s circle after La Cara won the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes Monday to move on to the Kentucky Oaks. The win came a little more than a week after the Casse-trained Sandman won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby to punch his ticket to the Kentucky Derby.

“The Arkansas Derby last week, the Ashland this week – pinch me,” Casse said. “I never take anything for granted. I love it, and this has been my life. It’s just great.”

Casse reported Tuesday morning that La Cara “came back great” from her front-running score in the Ashland, her third career stakes win. The filly will ship from Casse’s Keeneland barn to join his Churchill Downs string in the coming days.

Sandman is already at Churchill, having arrived in the days following his March 29 Arkansas Derby win.

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“He couldn’t be doing better,” Casse said. “He’s happy. He actually surprised me [with] how quickly he bounced back out of the race. Hopefully, everything goes well this month.”

The Kentucky Derby field was to continue shaping up with the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes, the final major-points prep, on Tuesday at Keeneland, and the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes, offering only minor points, on Saturday. A full starting gate likely looms in the Derby. Casse isn’t worried.

“He got very unlucky in a couple races, but you know what? That’s gonna build character,” Casse said of Sandman. “There’s a lot of good horses out there, but none of them have faced 20 horses, and I think he’s gonna handle that just fine.”

Meanwhile, the Oaks preference list is set after the Ashland, which was the final points race. La Cara bookended the season, winning the first points race, the Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes in September at Churchill Downs, and now the final prep.

The Oaks is limited to 14 starters, and up to four also-eligibles may be listed on the program when the race is drawn on April 26. In points order, accounting for current nominees only, the top 14 on the preference list are: Quietside, La Cara, Good Cheer, Five G, Ballerina d’Oro, Tenma, Early On, Take Charge Milady, Simply Joking, Bless the Broken, Drexel Hill, Muhimma, Fondly, and Ahavah. The next four on the list are Anna's Promise, Runnin N Gunnin, Gowells Delight, and Vodka With a Twist.

Anna’s Promise has already been made a late nominee to the Oaks after she was not among the original nominees in February. Late nominations, for a fee of $1,500, close on Wednesday. Fillies may also be supplemented for $15,000 at entry time.

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