Norm Casse’s Regret Stakes win ‘hopefully the first of many’

It was a familiar scene Saturday night at Churchill Downs: jockey Julien Leparoux leading a shrewdly ridden pace setter into the winner’s circle with Norm Casse overseeing the horse.

This time, though, Casse wasn’t working as the top assistant to his father, the future Hall of Famer Mark. The 3-year-old filly Hard Legacy became Casse’s first stakes winner since he went out on his own last year when winning the Grade 3, $150,000 Regret.

“I thought today would be the day,” Casse said. “Hard Legacy had been training very well. We had Julien up. It was time to get the first stakes win — hopefully the first of many.”

That it happened under the Twin Spires, Leparoux said, made this “a special win for sure.”

Norm Casse, who attended college locally before going to work for his father, is a big reason the Mark Casse barn expanded years ago from its Woodbine base back into Kentucky. Since then, multiple champions, including turf stars Tepin and World Approval, have stabled there.

And you could argue that led up to this Triple Crown season that saw Mark Casse saddle winners in the Preakness Stakes (War of Will) and Belmont Stakes (Sir Winston).

“Very good week,” Norm Casse said, with Sir Winston a breakthrough victor last Saturday in New York.

In the Regret, Casse’s barn registered its 11th win from 67 starters this season, and 18 others have finished in the money. Hard Legacy, a 3-year-old by Hard Spun, runs for Marylou Whitney Stables.

“They were the first big owners to send me horses,” the trainer said. “I’m really proud to reward their confidence in me. Hopefully some big things to come for her.”

Casse also saddled fourth-place finisher, Belle Laura, who was making her first start since March 30.

“She probably needed the race more than Hard Legacy,” he said. “It’s exciting. We’ve got two really nice fillies in our barn.”

The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland will serve as a long-term goal for Hard Legacy.