Trainer Mark Casse enjoyed a successful Saturday at Keeneland with three wins on the card–capped by champion Tepin (Bernstein)'s victory in the GI Jenny Wiley S.–and was right back to work Sunday morning making plans for a number of stable stars. If all goes according to plan, assistant trainer Norman Casse said Tepin will make her next start in the GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on the May 6 GI Kentucky Oaks undercard.
“That's the plan right now, but we'll have to see how she trains,” said Norman Casse, son of Mark. “It's certainly a tough division and we're proud to have a horse like this.”
Meanwhile, John Oxley's Noble Bird (Birdstone) bounced back from a pair of dull efforts to finish a strong second behind Eagle (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GII Ben Ali S. earlier on the card. Casse said the chestnut, winner of last term's GI Stephen Foster H. beneath the Twin Spires, is also expected to compete on Kentucky Oaks day in the GII Alysheba S.
“The real Noble Bird showed up yesterday,” Casse said. “We'll see how he comes out of it, [and] if he's training well the Alysheba will be next and we'll try to repeat in the Stephen Foster.”
Casse also has a contender for the GI Kentucky Derby in Jacks or Better Farm's Fellowship (Awesome of Course), who breezed a half-mile in :48.80 over the Churchill main track Sunday morning. It was the first workout in the Casse barn for the Florida-bred, who finished third in the Jan. 30 GII Lambholm South Holy Bull S., Feb. 27 Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth S. and Apr. 2 Xpressbet.com Florida Derby while under the care of trainer Stanley Gold.
“I didn't really know what to expect, I just kind of went in with no real expectations,” Casse said. “He was real full of energy. I was real excited about the way he worked. He moved well, so I was really happy with him.”
Clockers timed Fellowship in eighth-mile splits of :12.40 and :25 flat before galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.40 and six furlongs in 1:14.60. Although the chestnut currently sits in the 22nd position on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard, Casse said he is still under consideration for the Run for the Roses.
“Obviously there will have to be some defections for us to run,” Casse said. “But it's still too early to tell for sure, next week will be his big work and we'll have a better indicator on where he is and what type of horse we think he is. If he gets in he deserves a shot, but he'll have to work his way in.”
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