Barn Tour: Where Mark Casse is pointing his Derby hopefuls

Mark Casse has three contenders for the 2022 Kentucky Derby, but he isn't interested in speculation about how they might fare.

"It's all about the next one," he said Monday. "All the other doesn't matter, right?

"We talk about points and we tall about all these things. But it all, really, is the last start, how they run. Most of them are going to be running a mile and an eighth for the first time in their next starts, and, you know, it changes a lot of things."

The three hopefuls are Pappacap, No. 13 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 14 points; Golden Glider, with 5 points, and Volcanic, with 2. All three are pointed to qualifiers that offer 100-40-20-10 points.

Casse talked with Horse Racing Nation about his plans for these three and others in his stable for the latest in our Barn Tour series.

Pappacap. Winner of the Best Pal Stakes (G2) last year at Del Mar, the Gun Runner colt finished eighth last out in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds. Casse said he will make his next start in the April 2 Florida Derby (G1). "He's training amazing," Casse said. "I still have no idea why he ran as poorly as he did in his last start at the Fair Grounds. Came out of it really good. He's training as well as I've ever had a horse train at the training center. So I don't know. Now we're going change race tracks and surfaces and go from there."

Golden Glider. After winning his first two starts, the Ghostzapper colt was fifth in the Sam F. Davis (G3) and fourth in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2). His next start will be in either the Blue Gras (G1) or the Wood Memorial (G2). "I thought he ran really well (in the Tampa Bay Derby). There wasn't a whole lot of pace. He closed. He never really was – I wouldn't say that he was shut off, but he was compromised two or three times, and he was rallying into a soft pace. And you know, he was running on in. So it reminded me a little bit of when I ran Sir Winston in the Tampa Bay Derby a few years back."

Volcanic. Like Golden Glider, this son of Violence will be pointed to either the Blue Grass or Wood after his third-place finish in the Sam F. Davis. "I thought his race (the Sam F. Davis). was really good," Casse said. "It was the first time going two turns. He was hung out on both turns and kept running. I thought it was very good."

Casse said Golden Glider and Volcanic could run together or separately in the two Derby preps.

Other 3-year-olds

God of Love. After going 2-for-4 at Woodbine last year, including a win in the Grey Stakes (G3), the son of Cupid was sixth in the Sam F. Davis. He is "possible" for the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), which offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby points. "He actually ran well (in the Sam F. Davis). Kind of a tough, wide trip."

Glider. A son of Quality Road, he finished fifth in the Gotham (G3) last out. "We're going to aim for the Lexington (G3)," Casse said. "I think he's a little behind everybody right now."

Coinage. This Tapit colt had his first three starts on dirt before switching to turf, and he won the listed Palm Beach stakes at Gulfstream by a neck last out. He will remain on the grass and is pointed to the Transylvania (G3) at Keeneland.

Strong Quality. A son of Quality Road, he broke his maiden in February and lost by a head in a Fair Grounds allowance on Saturday. "I think he's a little behind, so maybe we aim him for the Belmont or something like that."

Older horses

Soup and Sandwich. the 4-year-old Into Mischief colt finished third and fourth in Gulfstream allowances after a three-month break from racing. "He's coming back, he's doing well. I thought his second race back was better than his first, and we're just trying to get him back on track." Casse expects he will remain at the allowance level for his next start.

Souper Sensational. The 4-year-old Curlin filly has not raced since October, when she finished fifth in the Raven Run (G2). "She's been in training at Live Oak," Casse said. "She's breezing, and she goes to Churchill next week." The trainer might enter her in a race during Kentucky Derby week.

Sir Winston. After going 4: 2-2-0 last year, the 6-year-old finished fifth in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) last out. "He came out of the Pegasus fine. He's going to breeze here soon, and the plan is to run him up around Woodbine and then maybe shoot over. He needs at least a mile and a quarter to get going, so you've just kind of got to spot him around."