Catherinethegreat drills for Spinaway Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After getting a bit of a break following her convincing 4 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on opening day, Catherinethegreat got back to serious business here Thursday, working five furlongs in 1:00.20 in company with stablemate Moon Colony in preparation for the Grade 1 Spinaway on Sept. 1.

Catherinethegreat began her career at Gulfstream Park, where she finished second in her debut before earning her diploma by 10 1/4 lengths four weeks later. Trainer Mark Casse also has the undefeated stakes winner Capture Your Dream in his barn in South Florida, and he opted to keep the two Florida-bred fillies apart rather than running both in the Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

The decision paid quick dividends when Catherinethegreat shipped north to win the Schuylerville and Capture Your Dream won the Desert Vixen division of the FSS earlier this month.

“I gave [Catherinethegreat] a little time after the Schuylerville because I knew she wouldn’t be running back in the Adirondack,” said Casse on Thursday. “I gave her an easy breeze last week but a little stiffer one this morning, and I thought she went well considering she’s not the greatest work horse around and the track was a little loose with so many other horses having worked over it before she got out there.”

Casse on Wednesday worked his debut-winning 2-year-old Dream Maker, who will make his next start in the Grade 1 Hopeful on closing day, Sept. 3. Dream Maker worked from the gate, blazing five furlongs in 59.20 seconds, his final three-eighths in 34.60.

Dream Maker circled the field en route to a three-length victory while launching his career at Churchill Downs in early June. He was scheduled to make his stakes debut here in the Grade 3 Sanford, but Casse opted to scratch him.

“He missed a little bit of time around the Sanford,” said Casse. “I thought he worked extremely well last week. But it’s been a while since he’s run, which is why I took him to the gate and put a big work into him.”

Dream Maker and Catherinethegreat are owned by John Oxley, who is also partners with breeder Kathy Machesky in Capture Your Dream.