Norm Casse, Gabby Gaudet are proud parents
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It would’ve been a great day anyway for Norm Casse, one of the best he has ever experienced in a lifetime on the racetrack. Two winners, both in six-figure allowances at Churchill Downs, is exceptional for most any trainer.
Except he wasn’t there. Casse was in a Louisville hospital, poised to revel in the most joyous occasion of his 38-plus years. Shortly after the Friday races at Churchill, about 6:45 p.m. Eastern, Casse was with his wife, Gabby Gaudet, when their first child, Crew Edmond Casse, was born.
“Obviously, the best day of my life,” Casse said.
Baby needs new shoes, and the allowance victories in the Churchill slop ought to help in that regard. Both were worth $77,380 to their respective owners, with Candy Tycoon ($10.80) winning by two lengths under Tyler Gaffalione and Super Quick ($13) splashing home by 5 1/2 lengths under Joe Talamo.
The family left the hospital Sunday, but soon they’ll be on the move to Oaklawn Park, where Casse will winter for the first time with a 15-stall allotment. Their newborn son (7 pounds, 14 ounces) got his first name “because we like it,” said Casse, and his middle name to honor Gabby’s late father, Edmond “Eddie” Gaudet, whose training career in Maryland led both of his daughters into prominence in the sport.
Gabby Gaudet, 30, has become well known as a broadcaster for TVG and other racing outlets, while her older sister, Lacey, is a successful trainer based at Laurel Park. Their mother, Linda, also has been highly active in racing in Maryland for many years as a trainer and horsemen’s advocate.
“Gabby is on maternity leave until mid-February,” said Casse, the son of Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. “We’re as happy as we can be, but for now we just want to get home and get some rest.”
Godolphin filly tops feature
Frost Point, fresh from a runner-up finish in a similar spot, is strictly the one to beat when carrying the Godolphin blue in the only allowance on a nine-race card Thursday at dirt-only Churchill. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.
Frost Point was beaten just a neck when second in earning an 82 Beyer Speed Figure under similar conditions last month at Keeneland. Trained by Bill Mott, the Godolphin homebred will break from post 1 in a field of eight 3- and 4-year-old fillies in the nominal feature, a $127,000, first-level allowance (race 8) to be run at 1 1/16 miles.
Star jockey Joel Rosario, who is riding here regularly through closing day, Nov. 28, has the call on Frost Point, a 3-year-old daughter from the first crop of Frosted. Rosario went winless with his first 17 mounts of this meet, including seven seconds, before breaking through Saturday with an allowance victory on South Bend. He then rode three more winners to finish out the weekend.
The top threat to Frost Point, the 8-5 program favorite, is Misty Veil (post 4, James Graham), a consistent filly with two wins and five seconds from 11 starts.
◗ Sarah Harper, an eye-catching winner of her last two starts, probably will stair-step into a second-level allowance at the upcoming Oaklawn meet before being asked to tackle stakes company, trainer Ron Moquett said.
Sarah Harper, a 3-year-old Vancouver filly owned in partnership by her breeder, William Sparks, earned an 88 Beyer in winning a first-level allowance here Friday after getting an 87 Beyer in a September maiden romp.
“She’s a nice one,” Moquett said.
◗ Nominations for all the closing-week stakes were to be released early this week. The biggest races are the Falls City on Nov. 25, expected to pit Envoutante against Bonny South, and the Clark on Nov. 26, in which Maxfield will face off against Midnight Bourbon. Also, the 2-year-old fixtures, the Kentucky Jockey Club and Golden Rod, will be run Nov. 27.
◗ The largest annual fundraiser for the Backside Learning Center at Churchill is set for Friday during the races. Although the ontrack event is sold out, a silent auction is available online. Proceeds benefit an organization that provides vital services to backstretch workers and their families.