Nikki's Sandcastle Will Return to Arlington

Celebrated warhorse and popular victor in yesterday’s Grade III $150,000 Hanshin Cup, Nikki’s Sandcastle has emerged from his 40th start and 10th career victory in fine form, according to trainer David Kassen.  “He has come out great.  I didn’t get to see it in person.  I sent him up there and I watched it on TV.  I thought he ran very well.  He got banged around a bit, but it didn’t seem to affect him too much.”

Winning the fifth stakes of his career, the chestnut son of Castledale with a noticeable white blaze has been with Kassen his entire career.  “He’s just a really good horse.  He’s underrated by a lot of people,” Kassen explained.  “He’s had so many bad trips and should have a better record than he’s got.  I was very proud of him.”

After breaking in midpack from the 5-hole, the Richard Sherman homebred settled about eight lengths off the rapid pace before slowly moving up on the outside and hitting the leading flight turning for home.  After being bumped considerably by Pass the Dice at the top of the stretch, the unwavering Nikki’s Sandcastle hit the lead and subsequently held off a charging Mister Marti Gras by a half-length under Leandro Goncalves.

“He’s just as good or better than he’s ever been at age seven.  Riders usually lose the race on him in the first part of the race - on the first turn (in two turns races),” Kassen explained.  “He can show speed, but he doesn’t want to run that way, but you can’t shuffle him back and have him in last.  (Goncalves) rode him well.”  The latter statement may be putting it lightly, considering that Nikki’s Sandcastle’s first graded stakes placing and only two graded stakes wins have come under Goncalves.

A versatile horse in the vast older horse division, Nikki’s Sandcastle has a plethora of options for his connections to mull over.  “There’s a lot of races, but we’re leaning toward the (Grade III $200,000) Arlington Handicap (on July 12) at a mile and a quarter on the grass,” Kassen said.  “It might be too much distance for him, but he’s doing very well.  We’ll also look at the (Grade II $200,000) Firecracker Stakes at Churchill.  Later on in the season, though, we’ll aim toward the (Grade III $150,000) Washington Park Handicap (on Aug. 30 at Arlington).  He really likes the Polytrack there.”