Kentucky Turf Cup might be next for Kasaqui
Making his sixth start in North America, Grade III Arlington Handicap winner Kasaqui (ARG) just missed winning the Grade I Arlington Million by a neck on Aug. 13. Racing for Wimborne Farm, the Ignacio Correas, IV trained 6-year-old son of Lasting Approval showed his best effort when fighting through traffic in the stretch run to finish second to Grade I Woodbine Mile winner Mondialiste (IRE) at Arlington International Racecourse.
“It was a very good effort; we got beat by a very good horse, too,” Correas remarked. “Robby [Albarado] tried to take him out at the three-eighths pole, but he didn’t have the room, so he got stuck inside. I think we could have been a little bit luckier, but we can’t complain.”
It was the third start in Grade or Group I company for the Argentina-bred, who raced 14 times in his native country before moving north. Kasaqui finished a well-beaten fourth in the Group I General San Martin in Argentina in 2014, then slipped and fell when attempting the Grade I Turf Classic at Churchill Downs earlier this year. He recovered well to finish second in the Grade II Wise Dan at Churchill the following month before winning the Arlington Handicap by 1¼ lengths on his way to the Million.
“Sometimes it’s in your favor,” Correas said. “We had a perfect trip in the Arlington Handicap. We did have the perfect trip here until he ran into a bit of traffic, but that’s racing. The horse went through the hole, he did have to wait a little bit more but he ran his race – nothing to take away from the winner. We are very happy with our effort.”
In the 1¼-miles turf route, jockey Robby Albarado kept his mount settled midpack on the rail throughout much of the race, while the eventual winner Mondialiste stayed alongside him stride for stride. Coming through the final turn, Mondialiste was able to go outside of the front pack while Kasaqui waited for running room inside as they hit the top of the stretch. Kasaqui showed grit waiting and then squeezing through a narrow gap between runners to finish strongly, but the delay may have cost him the win.
Proud of what his runner accomplished, Correas said he will perhaps look towards a longer race on the calendar for Kasaqui’s next start.
“It seems we might try the [Grade III] Kentucky Turf Cup,” Correas said. “There’s nothing in the immediate future really at 1¼ miles, 1 1/8 miles, so it’s either you go a mile or you go 1½ miles. I would think we’ll go 1½ miles. The decision hasn’t been made. Right now the horse is spending a week on the farm, just relaxing, we’ll go and jog him and gallop him in the afternoon but he’s essentially just taking it easy for a week. We don’t want to go New York and face Flintshire or anything like that.”
Juddmonte Farm’s world traveler Flintshire (GB) is undefeated in two graded stakes starts in New York this year with trainer Chad Brown. Runner-up in the 2014 Grade I Breeders’ Cup Turf, the 2014 Group I Hong Kong Vase winner bypassed the 2015 Breeders’ Cup in favor of the Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, finishing second in France before returning to Hong Kong to finish second in an attempt to defend his title in the Vase. Correas has stated that despite the talent his horse has shown, he has no interest in taking on a horse such as Flintshire in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
“I don’t think you can put up $300k to run against Flintshire, so we will stay away,” Correas commented. “[Kasaqui] is not nominated for Breeders’ Cup and it’s a lot of money. It’s a very tough race. It’s not on the radar for now, and I don’t think it’s going to be.”
For now, Correas will point for the September stakes at Kentucky Downs for his charge. How Kasaqui handles the running will answer a few questions as to where he will run next. And if all goes well, the Argentinian could return to Arlington for another try in the Million next year.
“That’s what he will tell us in the Kentucky Turf Cup, if he runs good and likes the 1½ miles – I would say that he will like it, he broke his maiden at 1 3/8 miles, but it’s a different quality no doubt – it would open for him the [Grade III] Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland, and then he would be done for this year,” Correas said. “Or if he doesn’t like the 1½ miles, we have the [Grade III] River City Handicap at Churchill at 1 1/8 miles. I think we will probably run him a couple of more times this year, then send him south [to Florida] to give him a break. We will maybe run him once or twice then in Florida, then bring him to Keeneland or [Arlington Park] and start all over again. It would be ideal to do the same thing [again next year], with a different result would be better.”
“He has done really great,” Correas continued. “He had an accident coming off the plane [from Argentina], so it hasn’t been easy for him. He had a rough year I would say, and even with all those things he figured it out to have a very good year, so next year maybe he can do a little bit more. But we aren’t complaining if he does the same. Hopefully he will finish [this season] on a good note, we’ll give him some well-deserved time off, and then go from there for 2017.”
Source: Arlington Park