The ageless Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) became the fourth two-time winner of Saratoga's GI Fourstardave H.–a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile–with a thrilling 3/4-of-a-length victory over 'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis (War Front).
The LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable colorbearer joins the race's namesake 'The Sultan of Saratoga' Fourstardave, who won the 1990-91 renewals (previously contested as the GIII Daryl's Joy S.); two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan, who won in consecutive years in 2012-13; and the popular racemare Got Stormy, who defeated males in both 2019 and 2021, respectively.
Casa Creed, a last out one-length winner over the aforementioned Annapolis in the GIII Kelso S. at Saratoga July 15, made his fourth straight Fourstardave appearance Saturday. The two-time GI Jaipur S. winner finished third in his first two attempts before breaking through last year with a 1 1/2-length tally over eventual champion Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom).
“To run in four straight Fourstardaves, regardless of where you finish is a ridiculous accomplishment,” winning co-owner Lee Einsidler of LRE Racing said. “To win it two years in a row and win it today at seven years of age. He's remarkable. I'm thinking maybe we'll bring him back and try again next year.”
He continued, “They tell me that he's known as the Mayor of Saratoga, maybe after today he's the Governor of Saratoga. That was really special. He's an amazing racehorse and today's performance was just fabulous.”
Sent off as the 9-5 second choice, Casa Creed, three wide around the first turn, raced in fourth through fractions of :23.31 and :46.57. Favored Annapolis enjoyed first run this time around and made a bid for the lead with a quarter of a mile to go as Casa Creed began to wind up from third. Annapolis hit the front in the stretch and looked well on his way, but the old boy had other ideas. Casa Creed kicked in nicely in deep stretch and came rolling over the top to get the money.
“You set yourself up for anything,” winning Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “It's his second race here [this meet], it's a hot day, you just never know. You prefer to give him a little more time in between races, but he handled it well. He ran his rear end off. He gives it to you. He digs in and gives it to you. Not much more to say than that.”
Mott continued, “We knew he [Annapolis] was going to try and get first run on us today. I knew they were going to try and get away a little better; they did and they got first run, but it didn't matter. He probably deserves a rest. He's a good horse, very special. How can you ask for anything more? He's improved with every year he's raced. He's as good now as he ever was.”
Casa Creed, ninth in last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, hit the board in two other runs this term prior to his win in the Kelso, finishing a painful second in the G3 1351 Turf Sprint at King Abdulaziz Racecourse Feb. 25 and third in the Jaipur June 10.
Pedigree Notes:
Casa Creed, a $105,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, is one of five graded winners for Spendthrift Farm's Jimmy Creed, who also has 21 black-type winners. Two of those stakes winners are out of Bellamy Road mares. Bellamy Road has 11 stakes winners out of his daughters, including last year's MGISW Cave Rock (Arrogate).
Unraced Achalaya has been through the sales ring six times, most recently in 2021 at Keeneland November when selling in foal to Authentic. Out of MGSW Wild Heart Dancing (Farma Way) and a half to GISW Man From Wicklow (Turkoman), she brought $725,000 from Thirty Year Farm. That was a far cry from her 2018 trip through the OBS Winter Mixed ring, when she brought $15,000 from Trackside Farm while in foal to Jess's Dream. At the 2018 sale, she was carrying eventual MGSW Chess's Dream in utero while Casa Creed had just turned two and had yet to race.
Achalaya has since produced a 2021 colt named Bold Landing (Omaha Beach), who hammered for $775,000 from White Birch Farm at Keeneland September, and a yearling filly by Authentic, who just brought $725,000 from Live Oak Plantation at Fasig- Tipton Saratoga earlier this week. She most recently produced a filly by Curlin, born Apr. 30, and was bred back to Life Is Good.
Saturday, Saratoga
FOURSTARDAVE H.-GI, $500,000, Saratoga, 8-12, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.20, gd.
1–CASA CREED, 125, h, 7, by Jimmy Creed
1st Dam: Achalaya, by Bellamy Road
2nd Dam: Wild Heart Dancing, by Farma Way
3rd Dam: Star of Wicklow, by Fast Play
($15,000 Ylg '17 OBSWIN; $105,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-LRE Racing LLC & JEH Racing Stable LLC; B-Silver Springs Stud LLC (KY); T-William I Mott; J-Luis Saez. $275,000. Lifetime Record: MGSP-KSA, 33-9-5-5, $2,460,308. *1/2 to Chess's Dream (Jess's Dream), GSW, $238,418. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Annapolis, 124, c, 4, War Front–My Miss Sophia, by Unbridled's Song. 'TDN Rising Star' O-Bass Racing LLC; B-Bass Stables LLC (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher. $100,000.
3–Ice Chocolat (Brz), 118, g, 5, Goldikovic (Ire)–Amor Chocolat (Brz), by Northern Afleet. 1ST G1 BLACK-TYPE. O-Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable & Peter Deutsch; B-Haras Niju (BRZ); T-Mark E Casse. $60,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 4HF. Odds: 1.85, 1.25, 11.30.
Also Ran: My Sea Cottage (Ire), Emmanuel, Full Screen, So High (GB). Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
CASA CREED DOES IT AGAIN! Son of @spendthriftfarm stallion Jimmy Creed, @luissaezpty leads him to victory in the Fourstardave (G1)! #Saratoga pic.twitter.com/nGaDXjuwpg
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) August 12, 2023
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
