Photo: Woodbine Entertainment
Trainer
Mark Casse said Friday that Bill Farish Jr.’s Pool Play
will be pointed to the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade I)
at Churchill Downs on Nov. 23, but the 7-year-old son of Silver Deputy might
not be the only Clark starter from the Casse barn. Stealcase and Delegation
are also under consideration.
“Pool
Play loves Churchill Downs,” Casse said. “It’s coming back a little quick (from
the Breeders’ Cup Classic), but I think he just kind of went around the track
in California. Also, this race is hard to pass up when we know he likes it
here.”
Pool
Play, who trained at Churchill Downs prior to finishing eighth in the Breeders’
Cup Classic, won the 2011 Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) in his lone start over
the Louisville track.
Gary and Cecil Barber’s Delegation
could make his Churchill debut in the Clark after running third in the
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI).
“With
the exception of (Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner) Trinniberg, (Delegation)
was one of the only 3-year-olds to get close (in the Breeders’ Cup),” Casse
said. “I think he’s a really good horse.”
Delegation
also is under consideration for the Cigar Mile (GI) at Aqueduct on Nov. 24.
John
Oxley’s Stealcase could
enter the Clark after running third behind Neck ’n Neck and Fort
Loudon in the Ack Ack Handicap (GIII).
“We’ll
nominate Stealcase to the Clark and the Cigar Mile, as well,” Casse said. “It’s
possible we’ll run two, but we won’t run all three.”
Other
stakes horses in the Casse barn at Churchill Downs include Uncaptured, Lockout,
Prospective and Dynamic Sky. The four are all owned by
Oxley.
Uncaptured
is being pointed to the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at Churchill Downs on Nov.
24 off a powerful 5 ½-length victory in the Iroquois (GIII).
“Number
wise, he ran better than horses in the Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile) and in the
Nashua (GII at Aqueduct on Nov. 4),” Casse said. “I think he stacks up against
the best 2-year-olds in the country.”
Lockout,
winner of the Remington Green in his last start, is scheduled to make his next
start in the Nov. 17 Commonwealth Turf (GIII) at Churchill Downs, Prospective,
fifth in the Oklahoma Derby, is being pointed to the Delta Mile at Delta Downs
on Nov. 17, and Dynamic Sky, sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, is under
consideration for the Remsen (GII) at Aqueduct on Nov.
24.