Casse greets new challenges as training career begins

Norm Casse has saddled contenders for Breeders’ Cup races, and he took the lead in recent years conditioning his father’s top Kentucky Derby hopefuls. Still, he expects to feel at least a bit nervous before Wednesday’s fifth race at Gulfstream Park.

Casse entered Rate of Return for the maiden claiming event, marking his first starter as a trainer after shining as an assistant to Mark Casse.

“I’m having a lot of fun. It’s a new challenge,” Norm said. “That’s why I’m actually leaving Dad. It’s the right time, but more importantly I’ve felt bored the last few years, if that’s hard to believe. I feel like I’ve maxed out my capacity as an assistant. I’m ready to learn new things.”

An Eskendereya filly owned by Gabe Grossberg, Rate of Return is the only horse currently in Casse’s care. He continues to consult for his father’s operation, with the plan to go fully out on his own in April. This run, he said, should “get the buzz going a little bit.”

A familiar rider for the Casses, jockey Julien Leparoux, will be aboard the 7-2 morning line favorite in the field of 11.

“It’s just different,” Casse said of building his own operation. “The horsemanship and preparing horses — I’ve got that down, and I’m confident in my ability to train horses, know when and where to run them, and which horses fit certain circumstances.”

Now, he’s learning the business side of a barn, too. And while he has lined up clients to send him 2-year-olds this spring, Casse will rely on the claiming game to acquire some older horses with aims of securing stalls at Churchill Downs.

“Truthfully, that’s going to be a new experience,” Casse said. “We have a game plan moving forward that I really believe in, but that is going to be something that’s a little bit different for me. That’s part of the reason I’m getting started now is so I’ll be able to claim going forward.”

Between opening his own barn, Casse has a wedding to plan as well. In December, he and TVG racing analyst Gabby Gaudet, also from a family of trainers, were engaged.

“I’m getting it all done at the same time,” Casse said. “It helps when you feel good and you feel confident and that everything’s going to be all right. Gabby, actually, is one of the main reasons I’m doing this right now. She believes in me. She inspires a lot of confidence in me.”

The journey begins Wednesday. Post time is 2:35 p.m.