Conquest Tsunami puts undefeated mark on the line in Summer Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse will try to conquer Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Summer Stakes by sending out Conquest Tsunami and Conquest Typhoon in the one-mile turf route for 2-year-olds.
Conquest Tsunami has been Woodbine’s top 2-year-old this year. His 4-for-4 record includes two stakes victories on Polytrack and a narrow win over Passion for Action in the turf allowance prep for the Summer.
Casse said Conquest Tsunami has been too fast for his own good.
“In all his training, he’s been taught to rate and come with a big run,” Casse said. “He does that great. The problem is he breaks so fast that nobody gets in front of him. I thought he lost focus in the long stretch of the turf course, and when [Passion for Action] came up to him, he got hit. He’d never been hit in his life, and I think it startled him because he switched leads a couple of times. As soon as he regained his composure, he took off.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Conquest Tsunami. Trainer Mark Casse is 1 for 11 with a $0.62 ROI over the past five years with 2-year-olds in graded stakes on turf. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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The Summer is a Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In event, with the winner earning a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita.
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KEY CONTENDERS
Conquest Tsunami (Last 3 Beyers: 75-76-80)
◗ Conquest Stable and Casse captured last year’s Summer with the debuting filly My Conquestadory.
◗ Accomplished turf rider Corey Nakatani picks up the mount.
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Conquest Typhoon (Last 2 Beyers: 72-62)
◗ He wound up second in both of his outings, including a maiden special weight race on the grass won by Passion for Action, who came back to give Conquest Tsunami a run for his money in the Summer prep.
◗ Casse said he scratched him from last Sunday’s Swynford Stakes because he drew the No. 1 hole and is proven on turf. Casse won the Swynford with Conquest Boogaloo.
Imperial Dream (Last 2 Beyers: 83-76)
◗ This undefeated stakes winner is making his turf debut and could be any kind.
◗ Like the two Conquest runners, he’s an Ontario-bred son of superb turf sire Stormy Atlantic. He’s out of a stakes-winning router who was unplaced in her only grass start.
◗ “He’s done everything right since Day 1,” said trainer Nick Gonzalez. “We gave him a little gallop on the turf course [Tuesday]. We had breezed him a few days earlier on the main track with Starless Night, who’s running in the Natalma. It’s all systems go for both of them. I’d be very surprised if he didn’t run good on the turf.”
Saratoga Dreamer (Last Beyer: 75)
◗ The New York-bred graduated at first asking in a maiden special weight turf sprint at Saratoga. Trainer Christophe Clement must be respected when he ships north of the border.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Saratoga Dreamer. Trainer Christophe Clement is 5 for 12 with a $2.11 ROI over the past five years with 2-year-olds in their second career start following a winning debut. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Samuel Dechamplain. Trainer Michael Doyle is 3 for 17 with a $7.18 ROI over the past five years with 2-year-olds following a maiden victory. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan