Happy honeymoon? Casse back to Churchill winner's circle

One week after racing royalty wed, trainer Norm Casse and his wife, Gabby Gaudet, were all smiles under the Twin Spires as Distorted Jimmy took the Saturday opener at Churchill Downs.

"Yeah, this would be the honeymoon right now," Casse quipped.

He walked to the winner's circle to congratulations from his father, Mark, among many other familiar faces.

Norm Casse, of course, worked for many years as a top assistant to Mark, overseeing the training of horses like champion Tepin, before going out on his own earlier this year. Gaudet, the daughter and sister of a trainer, is a well-known racing analyst at East Coast tracks.

And as for the horse? Distorted Jimmy, a 2-year-old by Jimmy Creed, sports a sprinter's pedigree. He's campaigned by Five 02 Racing (a play on Louisville's area code) and Bob Bradley.

"You just go race to race," Casse said. "He loves Churchill and is training well. There's a little stakes at the end of the November meet for him we'll look at and just enjoy this one for now."

This score came in a $56,000 maiden special weight race. Casse's barn also saddled a more lucrative winner on his wedding day when Angel of Mischief broke her maiden running for the winner's share of a $130,000 purse at Kentucky Downs.

Suffice to say, it's been a good week for the family.

"This is my first one as a married man," Casse said. "It's just been great. I'm just happy with everything and the team we've put together."