Mark Casse Stable Tour

Mark Casse enjoyed his best meet ever at Saratoga in 2024 winning 15 races, nine with two-year-olds. Casse looks poised to have another big few weeks at the Spa’s traditional 40-day Summer Meet which starts on Thursday, live on Sky Sports Racing. Here’s a look at some of his leading lights.

CHARLOTTESAPPROVAL

Lines up on Thursday in the second of two divisions of the $135,000 De La Rose Stakes on turf at a mile.

A four-year-old daughter of Into Mischief who brought $1 million at auction, Charlottesapproval has three wins from eight starts. She came off an eight-month layoff with a three-quarter length victory in a second-level allowance race at Woodbine. The De La Rose marks just the second time she has tried the mile distance, having been beaten three-quarters of a length at the distance last October at Woodbine. 

“This is a step up but she’s coming off a nice race,” Casse said.

ORBIT

This two-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro is out of the dam Earth Strike, who won her career debut for Joseph O’Brien at Leopardstown in the summer of 2020. Orbit has trained extremely well on dirt, he fired a bullet half-mile out of the gate in 47.60 seconds on July 1.

“He trains very well on the dirt, but he’s bred for the grass so his first start will be on the grass,” Casse said.

He lines up in Race 6 on Friday, the one-mile Maiden Special Weight.

ABIENTOT

Goes in Friday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Coronation Cup over 5 1-2 furlongs. Found herself chasing an ultra-fast pace when finishing ninth in the Grade 3 Mamzelle at Churchill Downs on May 10, that after a solid third in the Limestone Stakes at Keeneland a month earlier.

Speaking of the Mamzelle, Casse said that Frankie Dettori rode her for the first time that day “and kind of rushed her and didn’t run any good. That was the only time she didn’t run any good. Dylan [Davis] rides her. She just needs to settle and come with one run.”

Abientot was scratched out of the Soaring Softly Stakes on June 8 when that race was rained off the turf to the dirt. Abientot won her maiden in Saratoga going 5 1-2 furlongs last summer.

SOUPER TIMES

In Friday’s tenth race at 11.19, this three-year-old son of Not This Time gets back on the turf, a surface on which he won his career debut in January at Gulfstream but has not run on since. Souper 

Times finished second to River Thames in a first-level allowance and River Thames came back to be stakes-placed in the Fountain of Youth (beaten a neck by future Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty) and in the Blue Grass. He has not been out since a third in a first-level allowance at Gulfstream on February 28.

Souper Times has been working well but this is a very salty race.

CURTAIN CALL

Seven of Casse’s nine two-year-old winners at the 2024 meet came with horses making their second lifetime starts. Curtain Call, a son of Tiz The Law entered in Saturday’s opener, comes off a second-place finish behind Obliteration in a June 12 maiden race at Churchill Downs. Obliteration came back to win last weekend’s Grade 3 Sanford Stakes by 10 1-2 lengths.

“I think our horse is a pretty good horse,” Casse said. “Our second time starters run much better than our first time starters. I’m hoping that’s the case with him. Ultimately, he may end up being a grass horse, but horse right now he’s trained well enough on the dirt.” 

CLEAR CONSCIENCE

Entered in Saturday’s fifth race, a second-level allowance at 1 1-16 miles on turf. This five-year-old gelding by Blame is coming off a nose victory in the $200,000 Kingston Stakes, a 1 1-16-mile turf stakes restricted to New York breds. He is 2 for 3 with a second at Saratoga.

DELIGHTFUL DARLING

Another second-time starting two-year-old, this filly is going 5 1-2 furlongs on turf in Saturday’s sixth race after getting beat a neck as the favourite in a field of eight going five furlongs on turf. He does keep Jose Ortiz, who was aboard on debut, and hat may be a positive.

WEBSLINGER

This millionaire makes his second start of the year in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Bowling Green Stakes, scheduled for 1 3-8 miles on turf. He was 13 lengths off the pace six furlongs into the race then came with a huge late run to get beat three-quarters of a length.

“What I like to do is get a start into them at Woodbine,” Casse said. “I ran him in the stakes, first time ever on Tapeta. I thought at the quarter pole he was going to get beat six, seven lengths. He came flying.”

BRING THEBAND HOME

Was magnificent winning the $150,000 Harvey Pack Stakes on July 4 by 4 1-4 lengths earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 109, one of the top figures earned by any horse on any surface in North America in 2025.

It was his fifth win from 12 career starts for the five-year-old gelding by Into Mischief, but by far a breakthrough performance. Likely to return in the Grade 2, $300,000 Troy Stakes on August 3.

“That’s a horse I thought he was a superstar, and he just never showed it until [July 4],” Casse said. 

NITROGEN 

Set a course record and got beat when nailed late in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks by Fionn, ending a five-race winning streak.

One of those five wins came by 17 lengths in the off-the-turf Wonder Again Stakes, a race run at Saratoga on June 7. Because of that race effort and the fact Casse believes Nitrogen wants to run a route of ground, the plan is to run in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama going 1 1-4 miles on dirt on August 16.

SANDMAN

Won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby before finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby and finishing third in the Preakness. Will be getting blinkers on for the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes on July 26.

Sandman has been working in blinkers since he got to Saratoga including a sharp five furlong move 59.38 seconds with a strong gallop out on July 5. 

“I wanted him to go ahead and go on out and he did, that was good,” Casse said. “That was his big work. He’ll have an easier work next week and we’re ready. He got a little blow from that.” 

LA CARA

Already a two-time Grade 1 winner in the three-year-old filly division this year, La Cara will seek another Grade 1 in the Coaching Club American Oaks on July 19. 

On July 5 she worked a half mile in 46 seconds over Saratoga’s main track. It was the fastest of 85 works at the half-mile distance Saturday. 

“We were supposed to go five-eighths, she broke off and she walks away from the pole and I said, ‘pick it up,’” said Casse, who communicates with his exercise riders via two-way radio. “I should have never said that. La Cara doesn’t need anybody to tell her to pick it up. ..she shows you she can run. She did it easy.” 

EWING

This two-year-old son of Knicks Go was a most impressive debut winner on July 5 at Saratoga, winning by 12 lengths as the 1-5 favourite. He will be pointed to either the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special on August 2 and/or the Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful on September 1.

CHARLOTTESUNIVERSE

A two-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, she will look awfully salty in a New York-bred maiden race on the turf at some point during the meet.