Catherinethegreat looks to lift Casse barn in Spinaway

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Mark Casse got this summer off to a strong start when Catherinethegreat won the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes here on opening day. It has been nothing but frustration since.

Casse entered the final week of the Saratoga meet with 2 wins from 52 starters. He’s had 11 seconds and nine thirds.

“It’s been rough,” Casse said. “For the most part, the horses have run well, just can’t win. I’ve been down that road before. The difference is if it happens at Woodbine, no one pays attention.”

Casse has ample opportunity to salvage the meet starting Saturday, when Catherinethegreat runs back in the Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway at seven furlongs. Catherinthegreat, a daughter of Uncaptured, drew post 4 in a 12-horse field entered Wednesday for the Spinaway, which offers a fees-paid berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.

Catherinethegreat showed good speed in winning the Schuylerville by a convincing 4 3/4 lengths. She ran six furlongs in 1:09.98 and earned an 84 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I thought her performance was really good,” Casse said. “I thought she would run well. I didn’t know she would run that well. Now, she gets to go an extra eighth of a mile.”

But she will face 11 rivals led by Restless Rider, who is 2 for 2, including an 11 1/4-length victory in the Debutante at Churchill Downs, and Chasing Yesterday, a half-sister to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah who won her debut by 4 1/4 lengths at Del Mar for trainer Bob Baffert. Mike Smith is coming in to ride Chasing Yesterday.

Chasing Yesterday drew post 7, while Restless Rider, trained by Ken McPeek, drew post 11.

The others entered are Cassies Dreamer, Baby Nina, Virginia Eloise, Nonna Madeline, Sippican Harbor, Guacamole, Bella Ciao, Reflect, and Love My Honey.

Casse also will send out March to the Arch in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Saranac for 3-year-olds on the turf.

March to the Arch, a Florida-bred son of Arch, has won his last two starts, both at Woodbine: a first-level allowance on synthetic and the Toronto Cup going 1 1/8 miles on turf. In the Toronto Cup, he defeated Rose’s Vision, who won Monday’s Smart N Fancy Stakes here, and Neepawa, who won the Breeders’ Stakes on Aug. 18, the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

“He seems like a horse that seems to be getting a little better,” Casse said of March to the Arch.

March to the Arch drew post 2 in a nine-horse field that includes the turf-debuting Free Drop Billy, who won last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland but is winless in six starts since. Completing the field are Golden Brown and Hot Springs, first and second in the Grade 3 Kent at Delaware; Therapist and Up the Ante for Christophe Clement; Raging Bull; Maraud; and Sand Dancer.