Belmont at Big A: Casse tries to break through in Matron Stakes

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will send out Abientot Sunday in search of his first career Grade 3 Matron victory in the $175,000 six-furlong outer turf sprint for juvenile fillies at Belmont at the Big A.

Abientot returned to turf last out in the listed Untapable on Sept. 8 at Kentucky Downs and posted a good third-place finish 1 1/4 lengths behind Kilwin with a rallying trip engineered by returning rider Dylan Davis. The daughter of Not This Time was 4 3/4 lengths back in eighth of 12 through the first quarter-mile over the undulating course but improved her position at every point of call to come up just shy, earning a 70 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form for the effort.

“I thought she ran great,” Casse said. “Obviously when you run at Kentucky Downs, it’s a new experience. She handled it well and ran well. I think she’ll appreciate being back on a normal turf course.”

Abientot improved from a distant off-the-board finish two starts back in the off-the-turf Bolton Landing on Aug. 18 at Saratoga, her only race over dirt in four lifetime outings. Previously, she was an even fourth on debut at Aqueduct in June and a determined half-length winner at second asking in a 5 1/2-furlong turf maiden in July at Saratoga, where she was awarded a co-field-best 76 Beyer.

“She ran well there and I think she’ll appreciate the three-quarters,” Casse said. “She broke her maiden going five and a half furlongs and just got up. The Bolton Landing was an experiment that didn’t go the way we wanted.”

Flirting With Time graduated with aplomb last out with a gate-to-wire score sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on August 29 at Kentucky Downs.

Trained by Joe Sharp, the daughter of Yorkton improved markedly from two distant off-the-board finishes this summer at Saratoga, romping by 7 3/4-lengths under Brian Hernandez Jr. to complete the course in 1:18.35.

Sharp said the bay has trained forwardly since her breakthrough score, including a 49-second half-mile breeze he engineered on Sept. 30 at Churchill Downs.

“She’s doing great, and I worked her myself at Churchill,” Sharp said. “She’s a filly that’s always been high on our radar, she just kind of had some circumstances in her first couple starts. I think what we saw at Kentucky Downs was more of a display of what she’s capable of.”

Flirting With Time debuted on July 18 sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at the Spa and was sent to the lead from the inside post to mark sharp splits of 21.87 seconds and 45.21 before tiring and fading to last-of-10. Her next start was compromised before the race when it was taken off the turf while horses were in the paddock, leaving her to try dirt for the first time over muddy and sealed footing. She tracked in sixth of eight throughout the 5 1/2 furlongs and never improved position.

“First time out, she was sent hard from the inside and that wasn’t ever part of the plan. We were rained off in the next start, and then at Kentucky Downs, she broke from there and got into a good rhythm,” Sharp said. “The energy was just different there. The experience never hurts.”

Sharp said he is confident Flirting With Time does not necessarily need to be in command to be effective.

“She’s quick, but she doesn’t have to have the lead,” Sharp said. “I think she’s not as complicated as her form cycle says she is. She’s pretty genuine.”