Casse to try for Hall of Fame daily double

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though he had over a year to write it, trainer Mark Casse finally completed his Hall of Fame speech Thursday night.

“I’m a bit of a procrastinator,” Casse said Friday morning at his Saratoga barn.

Casse, who was elected into the Hall of Fame last year, will be formally inducted next Friday. Last year’s ceremony was canceled due to COVID-19.

Prior to giving what he said will be an emotional speech, Casse will have plenty to keep himself busy as he prepares horses for upcoming stakes here.

Casse hopes to pull off a Hall of Fame double of sorts when he runs Easy Time in next Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes. On Saturday, Casse will run Souper Sensational and Make Mischief in the Grade 1 Test. Also Saturday, Casse plans to run Palazzi in the Grade 1, $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational.

Easy Time, a son of Not This Time, is coming off a two-length victory in the Marine Stakes at Woodbine on July 11. Prior to that, he was beaten a neck by Hyperfocus in a first-level allowance on turf. Hyperfocus won for $40,000 claiming in an off-the-turf race on Friday at Saratoga.

Souper Sensational is coming off a 3 1/4-length victory in the Victory Ride Stakes at Belmont on July 10 for which she earned a career-best 95 Beyer.

“A lot of people are like, well, that was shocking,” Casse said. “Maybe shocking in how fast she ran. Turns out, her sprints are pretty good.”

Make Mischief will be shortening up to seven furlongs after a third in the Grade 1 Acorn and fourth in the Grade 2 Mother Goose.

Palazzi is coming off a sixth-place finish in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby, beaten 3 1/4 lengths by Bolshoi Ballet, who is listed as coming back for the Saratoga Derby.

“Palazzi needs some luck and some pace, which he hasn’t had either in his last few races,” Casse said.

Helium, the Tampa Bay Derby winner who finished eighth in the Kentucky Derby, worked four furlongs in 46.88 seconds Thursday over the Saratoga main track. Casse is pointing him to the $150,000 Robert Hilton Memorial at Charles Town on Aug. 27.