Casse's duo tightened for Elusive Quality Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Mark Casse hopes that with a race under the belts of Commute and Conquest Panthera, both will be primed for top efforts in Saturday’s seemingly wide-open renewal of the $125,000 Elusive Quality Stakes at Belmont Park.

The Elusive Quality, scheduled for seven furlongs on the Widener turf, drew a field of 10, with no clear favorite.

Commute is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Shakertown at Keeneland on April 7, his first start in nine months. He was eighth early on and made a mild bid to finish 6 3/4 lengths behind four-length winner Bound for Nowhere.

“He was a little rusty, there was a lot of speed, and he got shuffled back,” Casse said. “A little farther is going help him.”

The Shakertown was run at 5 1/2 furlongs.

Conquest Panthera came off a five-month layoff to finish fifth behind Fire Away in the Danger’s Hour Stakes at Aqueduct. That race was a two-turn mile, and Casse believes cutting back to a one-turn race will be better.

“One turn is the key,” Casse said. “I think he’ll come with a run.”

As the trainer of Elusive Quality, it would only be apropos if Bill Mott were able to win this race like he did in 2015 with Mosler. On Saturday, Mott sends out Commend, whom he shipped in from Kentucky after a race he had targeted at Keeneland failed to fill. Though Commend has yet to try seven furlongs, he finished a solid second in the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint at 6 1/2 furlongs last fall.

Mott said seven furlongs “will be stretching him, but I would say it’s within his reach.”

Two of Commend’s three victories have come at Belmont Park.

Blind Ambition, Undrafted, and Ready for Rye also have won over the Belmont turf. Kharafa, the millionaire New York-bred, is an eight-time winner over the Belmont turf and finished second in this race last year.

KEY CONTENDERS

Commute, by Hold Me Back
Last 3 Beyers: 85-101-102

◗ Probably got farther off the pace than he prefers when finishing fourth in the Shakertown.

◗ Does own a win going seven furlongs here two years ago.

◗ At 116 pounds, gets eight pounds from several in here, including stablemate Conquest Panthera.

Conquest Panthera, by Kitten’s Joy
Last 3 Beyers: 94-98-89

◗ Only try at seven furlongs resulted in a neck victory in the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes last August at Woodbine.

◗ Flattened out in the final furlong after making a move into contention along the rail in the Danger’s Hour.

Blind Ambition, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 89-79-82

◗ Looks to bounce back off three straight disappointing efforts, two of which came at Gulfstream. Last win came by a half-length over Undrafted in an allowance race here going six furlongs.

Undrafted, by Purim
Last 3 Beyers: 95-91-93

◗ Ended 7-year-old season with an allowance win at Churchill Downs in November.

◗ His lone win over the Belmont turf came in the 2014 Jaipur Stakes.