Conquest Tsunami to Keeneland for next start

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse said Conquest Tsunami would breeze on Monday at Churchill Downs and would be pointed to the Grade 1, $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity on dirt on Oct. 4 or the Grade 3, $250,000 Bourbon Stakes on turf on Oct. 5, both at Keeneland, with a trip to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup as the long-term target.

Conquest Tsunami, the morning-line favorite, was a late scratch from the Grade 2 Summer Stakes on Sept. 13. Casse said he made the decision after watching Conquest Harlanate win the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes over a turf course that was initially rated as good but downgraded to yielding.

Casse thought Conquest Tsunami “struggled” last month in his neck win in an allowance race, which came on a turf course rated good.

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“When I saw how slow they ran in the Natalma, it looked like [the turf course] had some give in it,” he said. “I was concerned with Tsunami running on that turf. He’s a big horse.”

Casse called both owner Ernie Semersky of Conquest Stables and jockey Corey Nakatani shortly after the Natalma with his decision.

“I said to Corey, ‘I don’t think it makes sense to run this horse, and I think I’m going to scratch him,’ ” Casse said. “He agreed with me and said [the turf] was a little softer than he thought it would be.”