Kentucky Derby 2019 Radar: Casse adds to Jerome Stakes mix

Live Oak Plantation’s homebred Souper Jackpot has arrived at Aqueduct for his first 2019 Kentucky Derby points prep, the $150,000 Jerome Stakes run at a mile on New Year’s Day.

The Jerome will mark the second stakes start for the Mark Casse trainee, who last ran a game second in the Smooth Air Stakes at Gulfstream Park Dec. 8.

“It looks like he should be very tough in there,” Casse said Thursday.

As with the Jerome, the Smooth Air was at a mile. Souper Jackpot pressured the pace and took over turning for home while putting away two challengers. After Souper Jackpot fought on the front end throughout, favored Garter and Tie came from off the pace to prevail by a neck. 

The Smooth Air followed Souper Jackpot’s maiden win in his second start. The Ghostzapper colt returned at Churchill Downs on Nov. 7 more than four months after his debut there. He led almost every step of the six-furlong event and fought back in the stretch after losing the lead for a moment. 

Souper Jackpot had his first work back since the Smooth Air on Dec. 22 at Palm Meadows Training Center. He drilled a half-mile in 48.45 seconds in Florida before shipping to New York.

Casse expects Souper Jackpot to improve in the Jerome off his Smooth Air effort.

“You’d think he’d probably move up a little bit,” he said. “That was his first race at a mile. I just looked at all the options. There wasn’t a one-other-than coming up going two turns for a while and the race makes sense. Good purse.”

Other Jerome probables according to the NYRA racing office include Direct Order, Family Biz, Gates of Dawn, Our Braintrust and Mind Control, the Hopeful Stakes (G1) winner who could vie for favoritism with Souper Jackpot.

Casse also trains soon-to-be Gary Barber 3-year-olds War of Will and John Oxley’s Dream Maker. Both are being pointed to races at Louisiana's Fair Grounds.

War of Will, who is Grade 1-placed on turf, broke his maiden on dirt Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs, winning by five lengths over a sloppy surface. He is slated to start in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) Jan. 19. 

Dream Maker had his first work back Dec. 23 at Casse Training Center. He last ran in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland but lost a shoe and part of his hoof when he clipped heels after the break. Dream Maker breezed three furlongs in 35.60 for his first work back. He’ll likely have one more work at Casse Training Center before shipping to Fair Grounds and looking for an allowance race.