Tepin to work Monday in preparation for Woodbine Mile

Tepin, the defending Eclipse Award Champion Grass Mare for trainer Mark Casse, will work Monday morning at Saratoga as she prepares for her next start in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on September 17, assistant trainer Norm Casse said. Tepin has won seven straight races, including a victory in the Group 1 Queen Anne at Royal Ascot last out on June 14.

"She's doing really well; we'll work her tomorrow morning and then bring her back on Sunday to work her an easy half [mile] and she should be ready for the Woodbine," Casse said. "This morning was probably the best she's had since she's been here. We're excited about the possibility of showcasing her there."

Pretty City Dancer came out of her graded stakes debut in good order, Casse said. The 2-year-old hit the wire simultaneously with Sweet Loretta for a dead heat in the Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway yesterday, extending her winning streak to three.

Norm Casse said Pretty City Dancer, a Tapit filly, is being pointed towards the Grade 1, $400,000 Darley Alcibiades on October 7 at Keeneland.

"We're really excited about yesterday," he said.

Pretty City Dancer was one of two Casse-trained winners on the dirt yesterday, joining Casses Story in a maiden special weight in Race 7. The Live Oak Plantation-owned Bernardini colt will look to make his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Iroquois on September 17 at Churchill Downs, Casse said.

After entering the day carrying a 1-for-34 record on Saratoga dirt races the last five years, Casse said the difference has been additional time spent at the Spa. Both winners had four breezes on main track before finding the winner's circle.

"I think we're starting to figure things out, this place has a real homefield advantage, so if you come up here late like we do, I think you're at a little bit of a disadvantage," Casse said. "These horses have been here for awhile now and had multiple breezes. I think that's the big difference. Most of our stats are based on the fact that we come up here and run after just one work and they kind of get buried. But we're figuring it out."

Catch a Glimpse is being rested ahead of the Grade 1, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on October 15 at Keeneland. The 2015 Sovereign Award 2015 Champion 2 Year Old Filly came in second in the Grade 2 Lake Placid on August 21 and is 5-1-0 in six starts in 2016, all against graded stakes company. Catch a Glimpse, owned by Windways Farm, won the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 9, adding to an impressive resume that includes a win in the 2015 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

"We gave her a bit of a freshener, she's not going to work this week," Casse said. "We're giving her a break. The Queen Elizabeth has always been our long-term goal."

Source: NYRA Communications