Conquest Typhoon rallies to win Cecil B. DeMille Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – Conquest Typhoon seems to thrive on activity.

Making his sixth start of the year, Conquest Typhoon closed from last in a field of eight to win Sunday’s Cecil B. DeMille Stakes for 2-year-olds on turf at Del Mar.

The victory was the third stakes win on turf in as many days for trainer Mark Casse, who won Friday’s $250,750 Seabiscuit Handicap with Kaigun and Saturday’s $151,500 Jimmy Durante Stakes with Ol’ Fashion Gal. The Casse-trained filly Lexie Lou was second to the 3-year-old star California Chrome in the $300,250 Hollywood Derby on Saturday.

Casse said after the Grade 3 DeMille Stakes that he was concerned that Conquest Typhoon’s fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 31 would affect the colt.

“I wasn’t sure if he wanted to run,” Casse said. “I thought the Breeders’ Cup might have knocked him back.”

Ridden by Mike Smith, Conquest Typhoon was the trailing horse for the first half-mile of the DeMille Stakes. Smith began passing runners on the turn and had Conquest Typhoon in fifth with a furlong remaining. Conquest Typhoon won by a half-length over 10-1 Stormy Liberal. Rock Shandy, a 9-1 shot, finished third, followed by St. Joe Bay, Soul Driver, Papacoolpapacool, Diamond Majesty, and Sebastian’s Heart.

Trainer John Sadler had two runners who were scratched Sunday morning – Daddy D T, who was third in the BC Juvenile turf, and the English import Guilty. Both are owned by Kosta Hronis, who said in a text message Sunday morning that Daddy D T was ill and that Guilty was not ready to race.

Conquest Typhoon ($4) ran a mile on turf in 1:36.93. He finished the final furlong in approximately 11.5 seconds.

“He zoomed home,” Casse said.

Conquest Typhoon races for Ernie Semersky’s Conquest Stables. An Ontario-bred by Stormy Atlantic, Conquest Typhoon has won 2 of 6 starts and earned $352,065. He was purchased for $350,000 as a yearling at Keeneland in September 2013.

Earlier this year, Conquest Typhoon won the Grade 2 Summer Stakes on turf at Woodbine and was second in the Grade 3 Grey Stakes on Polytrack at the same track.