One by one, the fillies of trainer Mark Casse speed around Woodbine Racetrack, their promise glowing in the early morning light.
One or two of this multitude of young female horses could take him to the Breeders' Cup in Louisville, Ky., in November – and beyond. And they could be just the beginning for the 50-year-old racehorse trainer, tops at Woodbine for the past decade.
Casse has conquered Woodbine. Now he's dreaming beyond.
This year, his talented fillies are the key.
Originally, he had nominated nine fillies to the $200,000 Natalma Stakes on Saturday, a race that is important because the winner gets an automatic berth in the $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf Stakes on Nov. 4. Casse will probably run four or five of them in the Natalma, which is to be held at Woodbine.
"With a good effort, we wouldn't be afraid to go to the Breeders' Cup," Casse said.
This weekend, Woodbine offers $2.25-million in stakes purses, including two other Breeders' Cup win-and-you're-in races: the $1-million Woodbine Mile, and the $250,000 Summer Stakes for two-year-olds. All of them are mile races on the turf.
Eight of these Casse nominees in the Natalma are owned by John Oxley, an oil tycoon from Tulsa, Okla., who also has homes in Florida, Kentucky and Colorado.
Ironically, one of the eight Oxley fillies is a daughter of a mare that first brought the polo enthusiast and his Woodbine-based trainer together about 10 years ago: Little Hussy. "I didn't name her," said Casse, hastily, who trained her for someone else. Oxley bought the filly, and left her in Casse's stable long enough for her to finish third in the Natalma Stakes.
Now Casse and Oxley have come full circle. Little Hussy's two-year-old daughter – Spirited Miss – is now in his stable and headed for the Natalma, too. And he thinks she's Breeders' Cup material. She won her first start a couple of weeks ago for Oxley, who in the past two years, has become Casse's biggest client. About 30 of the 75 horses that Casse trains are owned by Oxley.
"We're really building a strong stable," Casse said. "He's buying good horses and he breeds some really good horses. I'm hoping that he'll become one of the biggest owners in North America. As long as we don't have any bad luck, I think you're going to see him go to the top."
Casse also trains for Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, currently No. 8 in the owner's standings in North America. Oxley is No. 88 and climbing rapidly. Casse would like to see them both in the top 10. "With these two guys, I feel like maybe the Kentucky Derby really isn't that far away," Casse said.
Currently, Casse ranks No. 6 in North America with his horses' earnings of more than $5.4-million this year.
But he hasn't had that big horse yet, that U.S. Triple Crown contender. Two of his former assistant trainers, (when he worked in the United States years ago) Kiaran McLaughlin and Tom Albertrani, did move on, with spectacular horses: McLaughlin with the 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic winner, Invasor; and Albertrani with Bernardini, which finished second to him.
"They went on to the next level and I just felt like I wasn't," Casse said.
Finally, a new door opened a couple of years ago. Oxley, impressed by Woodbine and hearing good reports about Casse, initially sent the trainer some homebreds that all had issues. Finally, early last year, Oxley told Casse: "I wish you could have some better horses for me."
Casse suggested they go to a couple of sales in Florida. There, he bought four young horses including Delightful Mary for Oxley for $500,000. Months later, Delightful Mary went on to finish third in the $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf race and was chosen top two-year-old filly in Canada. Another purchase, Strike Oil, won the Coronation Futurity last year.
It was only a start. Casse can see the next level on the horizon. It's no longer outside of his reach.