Norm Casse and Tales of Chaucer target stakes debut

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A first stakes starter for a rookie trainer might be cause for a case of nerves. But for Norm Casse, that event is hardly daunting.

In recent years, Casse had daily oversight of such major stars as Tepin, World Approval, and Classic Empire as the top assistant to his father, trainer Mark Casse. So when he sends out Tales of Chaucer in the stakes debut for both the colt and trainer – either Saturday in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs or in the restricted Rockville Centre on July 14 at Belmont Park – Casse won’t be shaking in his boots.

Casse said Wednesday he was “50-50” on which race will be next for Tales of Chaucer, a New York-bred whose career debut resulted in an 84 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest number in a bulky field of 13 2-year-old colts and geldings in the $100,000 Bashford Manor.

“I’d like to run here because it’s our home and we could win our first stakes here,” said Casse, who graduated high school and college from Louisville-area schools. “I’d be very proud of that. Conservatively, though, you’d have to think running against statebreds might put him in a better spot.”

Whatever the decision, Casse, 34, is happy with the direction his career is taking. He ran his first horse in February at Gulfstream Park while gradually weaning himself away from his father’s far-flung operation, and his overall record stood at five wins from 22 starts entering this week. More importantly, he is building a solid foundation. He has about 30 horses split between Churchill and the Trackside training annex and will be active mostly at regional tracks this summer while dispatching “four or five” to Saratoga.

“It’s going as well as we could have hoped for,” said Casse, who on Sept. 8 will be married to Gabby Gaudet, who works as an analyst for New York Racing Association television and on other racing broadcasts. “We’ve got a nice mix of older horses and 2-year-olds. It’s an exciting time.”

The six-furlong Bashford Manor is one of three stakes on closing day of the 38-day spring meet, along with its sister race, the $100,000 Debutante, and the $75,000 Kelly’s Landing for older horses.

As for the seven-furlong Kelly’s Landing, trainer Shawn Davis said he intends to run Chief Cicatriz here after giving serious consideration to sending the 5-year-old gelding to Gulfstream for the Grade 3 Smile Sprint the same afternoon.

“He had a little foot bruise coming out of his last breeze” Saturday, Davis said Wednesday. “I think we’ve got him 99 percent now, but I didn’t want to ship all that way in case it didn’t heal up right. We should be good to go Saturday.”

Chief Cicatriz earned an eye-popping 110 Beyer in winning the Grade 3 Aristides here June 2, and Davis said he and owner-breeder Roy Gene Evan have been besieged since then with “all kinds of offers” for a private purchase.

Besides the three stakes, there are two allowances and several maiden-specials on the 12-race finale, including one at the infrequently run distance of 1 1/4 miles. First post Saturday is 12:45 p.m. Eastern. Mandatory disbursements of all jackpot wagers, including the Single 6, will be held Saturday because of the meet closing.

11 races on tap Friday

Three allowances serve as highlights on the penultimate card of the meet Friday, with a $62,000 second-level turf route (race 5) being the richest of the trio. Special Ops, Krampus, Vigiliante, and Zorzor all rate as contenders in an oversubscribed field of 3-year-olds and up.

Back-to-back first-level allowances with $59,500 purses follow later in the day as races 9 and 10. First post is 12:45 p.m.