Woodbine: Prospective may get shot at Breeders’ Cup

Trainer Mark Casse finished second, fourth, and seventh with his three Natalma starters for owner/breeder John Oxley.

But they were back in the groove when Oxley’s horses Prospective and Lockout ran one-two and WinStar Farm’-owned Bluedacious completed a sweep for the barn in Sunday’s Grade 3, $201,200 Grey Stakes for 2-year-olds.

Prospective was doubling up while making his third start in the Grey, having finished second in his debut over six furlongs of turf and then winning a first-level allowance at seven furlongs on Polytrack.

Lockout remains a maiden after three starts but was finishing second in his second straight stakes here after ending the runner-up to Indian Evening in the seven-furlong Swynford on Sept. 11.

Prospective had been supplemented to the 1 1/16-mile Grey and was ridden to victory by Luis Contreras after Patrick Husbands had been aboard for his first two starts.

Husbands had been scheduled to ride Lockout in the Swynford but had taken another call before Casse had decided to enter that stakes and Contreras gained the mount.

Following some amicable negotiations, Contreras wound up with Prospective and Husbands with Lockout for the Grey.

While both colts ran well it was Prospective’s day as he scored by two lengths with Lockout the runner-up another three-quarters of a length before Bluedacious.

“The first two times Patrick had ridden Prospective, he said the horse didn’t know how good he was,” said Casse. “But, they had both worked so well. It was a tough choice.”

Prospective and Lockout soon will be heading to Churchill Downs to take their places in what promises to be a powerful Casse contingent.

“Lockout has already run at Churchill Downs, and likes it there,” said Casse, who had watched the colt finish a solid second in his six-furlong debut on July 3. “We could look at the Breeders’ Cup for Prospective. We’ll see how things play out. There are other races there and there’s the Delta Downs Jackpot, in Louisiana.”