World Approval Dominates in the Dixie

Live Oak Plantation's homebred five-year-old gelding World Approval stalked the pace setter Security Risk, took over in the stretch, and coasted to an easy 2 1/4 length win today in the Grade 2, $250,000 Longines Dixie Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.

Scratched two weeks ago when entered to run in the Gr II Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs when rain dampened the turf course, World Approval has been off since winning the Turf Classic at Tampa Bay Downs in his season debut on April 2. The Mark Casse trained son of Northern Afleet has been remarkably consistent throughout his career having only been off the board six times from 20 starts.

There were no scratches today after rain overnight left the turf course rated “good”. Ten horses went postward today in the 1 1/16 test and World Approval was made the lukewarm 5-2 favorite. After breaking first, jockey Julien Leparoux let Security Risk, breaking just to his inside from post position number one, set the pace. After a first quarter in 24.11, World Approval sat just to the outside of Security Risk in second, about a length and a half back. The second choice on the tote board, Projected, was another length back in third.

Their positions were unchanged nearing the three quarter pole, World Approval started to reel in the pacesetter, drawing on even terms on the far turn. Turning for home, World Approval turned it on and started to open it up on the field. Never threatened in the stretch, World Approval posted an easy 2 ¼ length win. Projected was a clear second best, finishing 2 ¼ lengths ahead of Blacktype. Catapult was fourth.

With the win today, World Approval won consecutive races for the first time since breaking his maiden and then taking the Sophomore Turf Stakes during his three-year-old campaign in 2015. Jockey Julien Leparoux talked about his ride afterwards saying, "He's a nice horse and we got the perfect trip today, the ideal trip anyway. The track was good for him and there was not too much speed in the race, so the plan was to be right up there and relax."

Mark Casse talked after the race about the late scratch two weeks ago and the difference in turf course conditions saying, “We had him in at Churchill Downs (G1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic). But I was really, really worried. That turf was really soft. I said to Mrs. (Charlotte) Weber, Hey, let’s wait two weeks and run at Pimlico. And she was good with it." As for the course condition today Casse said, “I’d been watching it [the turf], and it was nowhere near as soft like Churchill was." C

World Approval improved his record to 20-8-2-4.  Bred in Florida out of the With Approval mare Win Approval, World Approval boosted his earnings to $1,103,763. The final payouts were $7.00, $4.40, and $2.80 for World Approval. Projected awarded his backers with $4.80 and $2.80, Blacktype paid $3.20 to show. Final time for the race was 1:43.15.