Boppy O Unleashes Furious Rally For Jersey Derby Triumph

There wasn't much that went according to the pre-race plan for Boppy O in the $100,000 Jersey Derby Saturday at Monmouth Park – except the end result. The only graded stakes winner in the field of seven 3-year-olds staged a furious rally from midstretch on, when he was fifth, to eventually run down 3-10 favorite Talk of the Nation in the final 50 yards on the way to a one-length victory. The winning time for the mile over a firm turf course was 1:34.02. Jockey Isaac Castillo, making a delayed...

Wonder Wheel ‘Great’ After KY Oaks, Heading to Woodbine

By Corrie McCroskey The champion 2-year-old filly will ship to Woodbine according to trainer Mark Casse. In the winner's circle after a victory in the May 6 American Turf Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs with D. J. Stable's Webslinger, trainer Mark Casse fielded questions on Wonder Wheel's ninth-place finish a day earlier in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The 3-year-old daughter of Into Mischief is also campaigned by D. J. Stable—the husband and wife duo of Leonard and Lois Green. After fighting traffic early on, Wonder Wheel missed a chance...

Webslinger Gives American Turf His All for D. J. Stable

By Corrie McCroskey  With a packed Kentucky Derby Day crowd cheering him forward May 6 at Churchill Downs, Webslinger gave it all he had in the final moments of the $500,000 American Turf Stakes (G2T) to secure the first graded win of his career and hand his owners what trainer Mark Casse said is their 2,500th win. "It's funny because he's the only horse we had running today and it's the most relaxed I've been (with no) Derby horses. (But) you always want Derby horses," said Casse, who spoke with a hoarse voice...

Papilio Soars to Victory in the Appalachian Stakes

With a determined rally down the stretch of Keeneland's turf course, Papilio edged Cairo Consort by a neck to secure her first stakes win April 8 in the $338,600 Appalachian Stakes (G2T). The victory brought a big smile to the face of trainer Mark Casse, who has been most impressed with the Irish-bred 3-year-old daughter of Starspangledbanner when it matters most—during her races. Casse saw potential when he watched a video of Papilio, who made her first five starts in Ireland. After the Papilio was purchased privately by her current owners after her juvenile...

Wonder Wheel is the champion 2-year-old filly of 2022.

By Frank Angst  As trainer Mark Casse watched Wonder Wheel improve as spring turned to fall, he couldn't resist sharing the encouraging progress of the 2-year-old filly—even comparing her precocity with that of 2016 champion 2-year-old male Classic Empire. "I put some pressure on myself, and sometimes I would ask myself, 'Why did I do that,'" Casse said after this year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). "But I tell people the way I feel." Voting for 2-year-old filly: Wonder Wheel, 240; Hoosier Philly, 3; Meditate, 2; Julia Shining, 1.    The pressure most assuredly was off Casse...

Patience, Passion Led Horse Racing Hall of Fame Trainer Mark Casse to Stardom

January 23rd, 2023 BY J. Keeler Johnson There she was – in the lead, vying for victory in the final furlong of the historic Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in England. When Tepin gallantly crossed the finish line in front, the mare had made history as the first American-trained racehorse to win Royal Ascot’s signature meet-opening race. Sharing the glory was the trainer who made it all possible, the trainer who never made a wrong move in managing a versatile but slow-maturing racehorse until she was ready to make history on...

Watch: Wonder Wheel Breezes At Casse’s Training Center In Her First Work Since Breeders’ Cup Win, Presumptive Champion Title In Sight.

Wonder Wheel is expected to be crowned Champion 2-Year-Old Filly for 2022 after her impressive win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. On Jan 11, 2023, the 3-year-old filly of Into Mischief returned to the work tab and breezed three furlongs in 35.4 seconds at conditioner Mark Casse's training center in Ocala, Florida. Casse posted a video of the workout on social media, revealing his plans for Wonder Wheel's sophomore debut. https://twitter.com/markecasse/status/1613212692063330304?s=61&t=Ua7Ej5Xj7v9NNdN3RcqZ1w Casse mentioned that the Suncoast Stakes on Feb. 11 at Tampa Bay Downs is part of the...

Happy New Year! 🎉

Happy New Year to all of our fans of Casse Racing! As we say goodbye to 2022 and welcome in 2023, we at Casse Racing are looking forward to another exciting year of racing. We have a talented group of horses in our stable, and we can't wait to see them perform on the track. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our team, and all of our fans for their support over the past year. We couldn't do it without you, and we appreciate your passion...

Photo by Sarah Andrew

Mark Casse Shares His Thoughts on the Benefits of HISA for the Industry

Over the last few months, I have read and heard numerous concerns about HISA's involvement in the thoroughbred industry. Purported issues range from, “we don't need the government in our business” to, “these new rules are too burdensome,” to “they should have asked horsemen to be involved in the rulemaking.” I believe most of those complaints come from a place of misunderstanding about what HISA is trying to accomplish and also how imperative it is to our livelihood that we have a centralized set of rules. As someone fortunate...