Conquest Big E heading north for Gotham Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Mark Casse said Conquest Big E can’t stand the heat, so he plans to get him out of south Florida.

Casse said Thursday that Conquest Big E likely will make his next start in the Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on March 5. The horse was scheduled to breeze Friday morning at Palm Meadows in south Florida, and provided all goes well, he will ship here Tuesday.

“I got to keep him out of the heat,” Casse said. “That limits my options.”

Conquest Big E, a son of Tapit who brought $700,000 as a yearling, went 2 for 4 as a 2-year-old and finished eighth, beaten 4 3/4 lengths, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland last Oct. 31. He bounced back from that effort to win an allowance race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 28. Both of his wins have come over a wet track.

In his 3-year-old debut, Conquest Big E finished fourth, beaten nine lengths by Mohaymen, in the Grade 2 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park.

“He overheated,” Casse said. “He almost collapsed after the race. He just really struggled.”

While Casse is okay with using the heat as an excuse, he said he still doesn’t know how talented a runner Conquest Big E is.

“He’s got to step up his game if he’s going to play with the big boys,” Casse said. “We’re giving him another shot.”

Conquest Big E is one of six probable runners for the Gotham, with a few more under consideration. The probables include Withers Stakes winner Sunny Ridge, Withers third-place finisher Adventist, the unbeaten Shagaf, Rally Cry, and the maiden Laoban. Possible runners include Matt King Coal, My Man Sam, Governor Malibu, and Get Jets.