Whitney's Mischievous Bird a meaningful winner for Norm Casse

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Last Saturday’s feature race at Gulfstream Park was the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes. But the highlight of the afternoon, for many, was the sight of the 93-year-old grande dame of racing Marylou Whitney in the winner’s circle celebrating the maiden win of her promising homebred Mischievous Bird.

A 3-year-old son of Into Mischief, Mischievous Bird was making just his second start and first since finishing far back after being bet down to 2-1 for his debut on Travers Day last summer at Saratoga. Trained by Norm Casse and ridden by Julien Leparoux, Mischievous Bird stalked the early pace on Saturday before pulling away readily through the stretch to an easy 3 3/4-length victory in the six-furlong maiden special weight dash.

“It was like an old-school Gulfstream Park maiden race, it looked loaded on paper and very tough,” said Casse. “But we thought our horse was tough, too, and fortunately he rewarded us for our confidence. I took the blinkers off him for his second start because he’d been so tough to train and really hard on himself. I want my horses in the race, but to do it within themselves, and today he was a lot more relaxed than in his first start.”

Casse said it was very special moment for him to have Whitney and her husband, John Hendrickson, at the track to participate in winner’s circle festivities after the race.

“When I first went out on my own, I think people thought I’d have a barn full of horses, which wasn’t the case,” said Casse. “Marylou and John were the first owners to really call and say we’re going to get behind you. And for this horse to win today with Marylou in attendance really means a lot to me.”