Trainer Casse says pedigree, time paying off for Hanalei Moon

Among the lessons Mark Casse often finds himself leaning on when evaluating his equine proteges is one ingrained into him more than four decades before he ever became the multiple classic-winning, Eclipse Award-conditioning, Hall of Fame-finalist trainer the thoroughbred industry knows him as today. 

“I try to pay attention to pedigree. My dad drove it into me when I was 10-years-old – pedigree, pedigree, pedigree,” Casse said, referencing his late father, Norman E. Casse. “And a lot of times, you have to analyze the pedigree and you have to give these horses some time to grow up and get better.

“And she’s a prime example of it.”

The “she” who has once again illuminated the teachings put into Casse during his formative years is Stonestreet Stables’ homebred filly Hanalei Moon, the product of a regal mating between leading Spendthrift Farm sire Malibu Moon and multiple graded stakes winner Authenticity.

Given that Authenticity didn’t make her career debut until age 4 and didn’t become a graded stakes victor until age 6, it stands to reason Hanalei Moon would fall into the late-bloomer category herself.

If better days are indeed in the 4-year-old’s future, the start of her career prime could launch this weekend when she starts in Sunday’s $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Stakes.

Hanalei Moon is the 7-2 co-favorite with Ellis Park Turf runner-up Stave in the field of 10 fillies and mares.

Unraced as a juvenile, Hanalei Moon ultimately got her career underway in April 2018 when she debuted on the dirt at Keeneland, coming home fifth.

Two starts later, she got found her footing on the turf at Woodbine to break her maiden and basically made a start a month up until this January when she was given some time off following a third-place run in the Marie G. Kantz Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds.

Her freshened legs showed themselves when she returned to a competitive setting July 13 as Hanalei Moon rallied from last to finish second in the Indiana General Assembly Distaff Stakes.

With that tightener under her belt, the expectation is for Hanalei Moon to keep taking steps forward in this second half of the year, building on her record of three wins from 11 starts. 

“She’s a beautiful filly with a big pedigree,” Casse said. “Her pedigree said she would get better when she got older and that’s kind of what she has done. Her first couple starts she just ran so-so.

“We moved her up to Toronto and she got better and better, and she ran well. I think we ran her down in New Orleans and she ran well, but we decided to give her some time. We like doing that with our 3-year-olds – let them grow up – and she’s come back. I thought her first race back was excellent.”

Getting a stakes win on her resume to back up her bloodlines is a key goal for Hanalei Moon’s team as they look toward her future broodmare career. 

Hence, a trip to Kentucky Downs for another stakes test is likely on her agenda pending Sunday’s outcome.

“To me, if she were to run really well, (Kentucky Downs) would make the most sense I think,” Casse said.

Arnold preps Totally Boss, Smart Shot at Ellis for Kentucky Downs

The 3-1 favorite for the Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint is the Rusty Arnold-trained Totally Boss, who is a nose shy of winning three straight allowance races at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf, Sunday’s stakes distance.

“Rusty is really high on him,” said Jack Bohannan, who oversees Arnold’s Churchill Downs operation. “He probably was the best horse in his last race,” when he lost by a nose.

As an aside, Totally Boss’ breeder is Mike Pressley of Henderson, Ky.

Totally Boss’ dam also produced Oaklawn’s Southwest (G3) winner Super Steed, owned by Pressley and Dr. Steed Jackson of Evansville, Ind.

Those horses also are from the female family that produced Arkansas Derby winner Danza and Grade 1 winner Majestic Harbor.

Totally Boss’ camp is using the Ellis stakes as a launching pad to the $700,000 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G3), whose winner will receive an entry fees-paid spot in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.

Kentucky Downs also is putting up a $1 million bonus if its winner goes on to win Keeneland’s Woodford (G2) and the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. 

Arnold sends out Smart Shot in the $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf at a mile.

Off an allowance victory, Smart Shot narrowly lost Churchill Downs’ Mint Julep (G3) won by the talented Mom's On Strike.

Smart Shot subsequently finished fifth in the Ellis Park Turf Stakes but lost by only a combined 1 1/2 lengths after trying to close into a slow pace.

The field of 10 attracted the second through fifth-place finishers from the Ellis Park Turf. 

“She tailed off on us a little last year, so we gave her most of the winter off and she’s really responded well,” Bohannan said. “In her last start, she just had nowhere to go starting from the rail with the slow pace.

“Corey (Lanerie) said he was buried in there, with nowhere to run. He said, ‘It was more like a work to her.’ I said, ‘I hope you’re right.’”

Smart Shot also is expected to run in a stakes at Kentucky Downs, with her camp hoping that after Sunday she is not eligible for the One Dreamer, which is for horses who haven’t won a stakes in 2019.

Arnold also has Annathela in the $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Sprint, a new stakes this year.

A.J. Foyt's Colonelsdarktemper wins allowance feature to end winless skid

Colonelsdarktemper, owned by auto-racing legend A.J. Foyt, regained the form Friday that saw him win the 2017 West Virginia Derby, wearing down Greeley and Ben for a neck victory, with favored Hardly a Secret a half-length back in third in the $53,000 third-level allowance race.

The victory ended a 15-race winless streak for Colonelsdarktemper, who was ridden by Jon Court for trainer Jinks Fires.

The time for seven-eighths of a mile was 1:22.62, with the son of Colonel John paying $10.20 to win in the field of six older horses in Colonelsdarktemper’s first start at Ellis.

“Jinks and I had a lengthy discussion, reviewing the films,” Court said. “We figured we had as good a chance as any coming over to Ellis. Hopefully we picked the right spot, was his concern, and to ride him a little bit different, which I was in full agreement of.

“He’s just a trier. He’s got that steady pace, and it’s fared very well for him, as in West Virginia. He’s had a pretty tough campaign. I’m just delighted for not only the Fires barn but A.J. Foyt, too. Nothing like a winner to put some zip in your step.”