Barn Tour: Catch up with 18 of Mark Casse's top runners

Year in and year out, Mark Casse does very well, a perennial top 10 trainer. But this year, he’s having his best year ever, earnings-wise.

“I'm a 47-year overnight sensation,” he said.

"I think the best year we ever had was nearly $18 million and now we're close to $18.5 million already this year.

“We just in the last few years have really picked up, getting some really good young horses. And that's what you're seeing,” Casse said from his Ocala, Fla., base. “We had a really strong 3-year-old crop, obviously, Nitrogen, Sandman, La Cara. And then our 2-year-old crop's good too. We just kind of got the ball rolling, and hopefully it'll continue.”

Casse already has 16 graded-stakes wins this year, and he looks to add to that total this weekend with entries at Keeneland, Belmont at Aqueduct and Woodbine

With an assist from his chatty parrot Wasabi, Casse provided updates on his stakes runners and promising 2-year-olds for a Horse Racing Nation Barn Tour.

Nitrogen. The 3-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly has six wins from seven starts this year, her only miss coming when second in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational. In her two starts on dirt, she won the Wonder Again (G3) and Alabama (G1), both at Saratoga. Next up is Saturday’s Spinster (G1) at Keeneland, where the field will include Thorpedo Anna. “I thought (Nitrogen) ran very well in the Alabama,” Casse said. “Obviously this is going to be a big step up. She's done all we can ask her to do with the 3-year-old fillies, we're going to see where she fits in with the older mares. And then after this weekend, we'll decide whether we go ahead and give her some time off or we go to the Breeders' Cup. Normally I like giving my 3-year-olds time off and let them grow up before we go against older horses. But we feel like this is a good time to give it a try, so we're going to try.”

Sandman. The high mark of the year for the 3-year-old Tapit colt was his win in the Arkansas Derby (G1), after which he was third in the Preakness and fifth in the Jim Dandy (G2). Then he tried turf in the Nashville Derby (G3), finishing ninth. “He's back here in Ocala getting a break and he'll start back. We're planning on him having a winter campaign at Oaklawn since he likes it so well, target those big races.” Sandman finished in the money in all four Oaklawn starts last year.

La Cara. The 3-year-old Street Sense filly is 3-for-7 this year, with Grade 1 wins in the Ashland (G1) and Acorn (G1). She was fifth last out in the Cotillion (G1). “She's back in Ocala now with us. She ran hard, obviously. She won two Grade 1s. She really got thrown off when she was scratched (from the Coaching Club American Oaks, G1) because of the quarantine, and I just don't know if she's been able to get back to her top form. But she ran all year long. So we're going to bring her home. We're going to give her a break and aim for a spring campaign. She'll run again at 4.”

Candy Quest. The 3-year-old Connect filly got her first graded win in the Ontario Colleen (G3) and was second by a half-length last out in the Dueling Grounds Invitational (G3). “She's really come along very well. Ran huge last time at Kentucky Downs. I thought she was a winner and got caught late by the same filly (Fionn). Brad (Cox) has got us twice now. He got us, same filly that beat Nitrogen beat Candy Quest.” She’ll run next in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland. 

Vixen. The 3-year-old Vekoma filly has a 5: 2-1-2 record this year, including a win in the Herecomesthebride (G3) in March with a second and two thirds through June. “Vixen was off a little bit, coming back really good. I may do something kind of crazy with Vixen. I'm going to run her on the dirt (for the first time), possibly in the Raven Run. That's my plan. She just trains so good on the dirt, I've always wanted to run her on the dirt. And the Raven Run, straight 3-year-old fillies, I don't know for sure, but that's what I'm thinking right now.”

Dream On. The 3-year-old Not This Time colt won the Penn Mile (G3) in June then was fifth in the Secretariat (G2) and sixth last out in the Franklin-Simpson (G1). “He had a rough, rough trip, his last start at Kentucky Downs.” He’s pointed to the Bryan Station (G3) on Oct. 25 at Keeneland.

Classic Q. This 3-year-old filly by Classic Empire has three wins from eight starts this year, including the Wild Applause at Saratoga. She was fourth last out in the Music City (G2). “I think she's going to run in the Valley View (G2). She's a really good turf filly, 3-year-old. Outside shot the (Queen Elizabeth II), but more than likely the Valley View.”

Creed’s Gold. The 4-year-old filly by Jimmy Creed got her first stakes victory last out in the Hendrie (G3) at Woodbine. “After her last race, I wasn't 100% happy with her. We brought her to Ocala, and she's currently turned out and she'll be ready in early 2026.” Casse followed a similar pattern with her last year, “and she came back bigger and better than ever.”

Corruption. The 4-year-old gelding by Medaglia d’Oro is looking for his first graded win and was third last out in the Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational (G2). He has a 8: 5-1-1 record this year. “He's another one that's run pretty long and hard. We decided we're not going to run him at Keeneland. We're going to run him, I think, the first week or something at Churchill.”

My Boy Prince. It’s been a tough year for the 4-year-old gelding by Cairo Prince. In his last four starts, he was second in the Jaipur (G1), Highlander (G2) and Woodbine Mile (G1) and fourth in the Fourstardave (G1). “We're thinking about maybe running him in the (Candian) International (G1) this week. He's been all over. We sprinted him, we ran him a mile. But right now we're thinking about running him in the International,” going 1 1/2 miles.

Bring Theband Home. A 5-year-old gelding by Into Mischief, he’s had only four starts this year, winning the Troy (G2) last out. In the Harvey Pack before that, he came within a tenth of a second of the Saratoga and North American record of 59.80 set by Cogburn last year. “He runs this weekend, Saturday, in the Nearctic (G2) at Woodbine, five-eighths on the turf, in hopes of going to the Breeders’ Cup. He came back (in the Troy), and I thought he was tired after that. We had never planned on running him back a third time at Saratoga, so we gave him a little bit of a break, got him ready. We just thought this would be a good race for him at Woodbine and then hopefully he does well and he'll go to the Breeders' Cup.”

2-year-olds

Ewing. The Knicks Go colt won his debut at Saratoga and led at every call to win the Saratoga Special (G2) last out. He’s entered in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland on Saturday.

Curtain Call. The Tiz the Law colt broke his maiden at second asking in July at Saratoga then was third last out in the Hopeful (G1). “We’ve got Curtain Call in the Champagne (G1). Unfortunately, he drew the 1 hole again. His last three races, he's been 2, 1 and 1. And then he drew the 1 again.”

Just Asap. The Maxfield colt “just broke his maiden impressively and came back second in the Sapling.” He also is entered in the Champagne.

Truman’s Commander. The Omaha Beach colt went gate to wire when breaking his maiden at Saratoga on Aug. 30 in his second start. He’s entered in the Pilgrim (G2) on Friday.

Blinging It Back. The colt by Volatile broke his maiden “impressively” at Kentucky Downs in her fifth start and first on turf. He’ll run Saturday in the Bourbon (G2) at Keeneland.

Vintur. The Violence colt won his debut at Kentucky Downs by five lengths going 6 1/2 furlongs. He also is entered in the Bourbon.

Counting Stars. This filly by Honor A. P. debuted at Churchill Downs on Thursday and won by four lengths going 6 1/2 furlongs. “I'm really excited about her as well.”