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Casa Creed registers 101 Beyer Speed Figure in second straight G1 Fourstardave conquest

by NYRA Press Ofiice

• Casa Creed registers 101 Beyer Speed Figure in second straight G1 Fourstardave conquest
• Rhyme Schemes turns attention to G1 Hopeful after G2 Saratoga Special romp
• Galway winner L J’s Emma making a name for herself in turf sprints
• Cox breezes slew of graded stakes-winners at Saratoga On Sunday morning

On Sunday morning, owner Lee Einsidler of LRE Racing was still basking in the glow of his Saratoga Race Course-loving superstar Casa Creed, who captured Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap going one mile over the Spa inner turf for the second straight year.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and co-owned by Einsidler with Mike Francesa’s JEH Racing, Casa Creed became the fourth horse to win two editions of the Fourstardave, joining Got Stormy [2019, 2021], Hall of Famer Wise Dan [2012-13] and the race’s namesake Fourstardave [1990-91], who captured the prestigious race when it was run as the Daryl’s Joy.

Boasting a 6-4-0-2 record over the Saratoga turf, Casa Creed won the Grade 3 Kelso here on July 15 and the 2019 Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in during his sophomore season, one year after breaking his maiden over the Spa main track in August 2018.

In addition to his Spa accolades, Casa Creed captured two straight runnings of Belmont Park’s six-furlong Grade 1 Jaipur [2021-22] while running third behind last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel in this year’s edition. He also shipped halfway across the world the past couple of Februarys to finish a close second in the Group 3 1351 Turf Sprint at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh.

“He loves to win. He loves to race and we’re so grateful that he’s a part of our life. It was just one of those amazing, amazing days,” Einsidler said.

Casa Creed earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure – his eighth lifetime triple digit number – for the Fourstardave, where he earned a “Win And You’re In” entry into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile in November at Santa Anita Park. The evergreen 7-year-old son of Jimmy Creed additionally competed in his fourth straight Fourstardave, finishing third in the 2020 and 2021 editions, respectively.

In last year’s running, Casa Creed utilized his typical late-pouncing style en route to a 1 1/2-length triumph over eventual Champion Female Turf Horse Regal Glory.

“You can’t imagine that you’d run in the same Grade 1 race at Saratoga four years in a row. That’s not anything even remotely something you would ever think about, but to win it for the second year in a row made for an amazing day,” Einsidler said. “I’m so appreciative of what Bill Mott and his staff have done for this horse for the entirety of his career. As a 7-year-old, there’s the argument to be made that yesterday’s race was the best race of his life.”

Casa Creed entered the Fourstardave from a triumph in the Grade 3 Kelso going one mile at the Spa, where he benefited from a slow start from post time favorite Annapolis and fended off his foe to win by one length. But the tables were turned in Saturday’s race, where Casa Creed had to catch the Irad Ortiz, Jr.-piloted Annapolis in deep stretch, collaring the Grade 1-winning millionaire in the final sixteenth to win by three-quarters of a length under Luis Saez.

“He had every reason not to catch the horse in front, who’s a very good racehorse. He went after him, caught him, and beat him to the wire,” Einsidler said. “We knew that was going to be their plan after the way the Kelso unfolded where we got the jump on him. We knew Irad would go and Luis knew it so he figured he would follow him. He knew what he had underneath him. He told me this morning that he was very confident going down the lane that he was going to catch him. Casa Creed has a great closing kick, we saw that yesterday. I have great respect for Annapolis and all the other horses in the race. But we beat him by a comfortable margin, which was very gratifying. It wasn’t like it was a nose finish; we spotted him three or four lengths coming down the stretch.”

Einsidler stopped by Mott’s stable at the Oklahoma training track to pay Casa Creed a visit after his big win. He said the fan favorite, affectionately known as the “Mayor of Saratoga,” will now have sights set on the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Although yet to win a Breeders’ Cup race, Casa Creed has been a participant in the past three runnings, finishing a respective 12th [2020] and eighth [2021] in the Mile before running ninth in last year’s Grade 1 Turf Sprint.

“He looks amazing. He came out of the race great. His legs are cool, he’s eating up and feeling great,” Einsidler said. “We’ll give him a break now and see if we can get him out to California for the Breeders’ Cup.”

With an overall record of 33-9-5-5, Casa Creed has banked $2,460,308 in lifetime earnings.

Bred in Kentucky by Silver Springs Stud, Casa Creed was a $105,000 purchase at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is out of the unraced Bellamy Road mare Achalaya, whose New York-bred yearling filly by Authentic sold for $725,000 to Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Plantation at Day 2 of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale.

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Rhyme Schemes turns attention to G1 Hopeful after G2 Saratoga Special romp

Pura Vida Investments’ talented juvenile Rhyme Schemes has won 2-of-3 lifetime starts with each score coming by a margin of 9 1/2 lengths, led by a romp in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Herb Moelis Memorial Saratoga Special, a 6 1/2-furlong main track sprint for juveniles, at Saratoga Race Course.

“Everything looks good this morning and he seems happy; no complaints,” said trainer Norm Casse, who celebrated his fifth career graded victory. “Overall, it’s so rewarding. I’ve been doing this for a long time and Saratoga is an iconic place – the Saratoga Special is an iconic race. Just to be involved is humbling, and to win it is something to be really proud of.”

Rhyme Schemes finished an even sixth on debut in May at Churchill Downs when attempting to close from mid-pack, but relished a frontrunning trip and the addition of blinkers to claim victory at second asking on June 15 at Ellis Park. He proved his versatility in the Saratoga Special when stalking and pouncing from third, one length off the pace, to draw clear down the stretch under regular rider Ricardo Santana, Jr.

“He’s a true professional,” said Casse. “We don’t have to do too much with him because he’s so talented; we just let him go through the motions between races, and that’s good enough for him. That’s what’s most exciting about him is the fact that we haven’t really had to grind on him to get him to this place where he is now.”

The son of Ghostzapper was awarded an 86 Beyer Speed Figure for the his Saratoga Special coup and will now be pointed to the Spa’s seven-furlong Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful on September 4, which will likely be used a springboard to Keeneland’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity going a two-turn 1 1/16-miles on October 7.

“Unless he suggests otherwise, I think that’s the most rational thing to do,” said Casse. “I know he’s still a fresh horse and I can’t imagine why he can’t come back in three weeks and run just as well. Ideally, the Hopeful will be next and then the Breeders’ Futurity after that. The way he trains and his overall demeanor suggests he’s a two-turn horse. The horses have the answers, so we’ll figure it out as we do it.”

In the juvenile filly division, Casse could see promising maiden winner Empire Island attempt Grade 1 company in the $300,000 Spinaway on September 3 after a gutsy debut graduation on August 6. A homebred for Marylou Whitney Stables, Empire Island pounced from 2 1/2 lengths off the pace to land a three-quarter-length score over Lady Moscato in a six-furlong maiden special weight.

“There’s a slight chance she could come back in the Spinaway, but she’s going to have to train herself into that spot,” said Casse. “I feel like she’s kind of the opposite of Rhyme Schemes in that we had to press on her a little bit more. It seems like the race took a little more out of her. That’s a pretty salty spot, and I need a fresh, ready horse for that.”

Casse added that Robert Masterson’s graded stakes-winner Southlawn remains possible for Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales at the Spa, but is also considering the $200,000 Cathryn Sophia on August 22 at Parx Racing. The Pioneerof the Nile bay won the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks in March before finishing a respective 10th and fifth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks and Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks.

“There’s an outside chance she could run in the Alabama, but she’s got multiple options,” said Casse. “I’m leaning towards running her in something a little less demanding. I feel like she’s lost her mojo a little bit and it’s my job to get that back. Sometimes, the best way to do that is a little bit of class relief.”

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Galway winner L J’s Emma making a name for herself in turf sprints

John Gaynor’s L J’s Emma kept her winning turf form afloat in Saturday’s $150,000 Galway going 5 1/2 furlongs over the Spa’s Mellon turf course for trainer Eddie Kenneally, extending her win streak to three.

The 3-year-old Into Mischief bay broke cleanly but found herself mid-pack in sixth-of-10 in the early going. Jockey Luis Saez found running room near the rail, saving ground behind the fast pace of 22.26 seconds and 44.78 for the half set by Stone Silent. Just before the stretch call, Saez tipped his filly out wide and overtook everyone between him and the leader. Stone Silent dug in gamely in the final sixteenth, but L J’s Emma nailed her at the wire with a strong turn of foot. The neck score garnered a career-high 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He had to go a little wide. But Saez is a very, very good rider. He’s very good in the finish,” said Kenneally. “He’s just a super athlete and a very good rider. He rode her to perfection.”

L J’s Emma entered from a win versus allowance company on July 16 at Ellis Park after breaking her maiden on at Churchill Downs on June 2 – both 5 1/2 furlongs turf sprints.

“She was doing really well and we were happy with her going into it, but it was a deep field and we weren’t certain we were going to be good enough to get it done,” Kenneally explained regarding his 17-1 shot. “Thankfully, she ran her eyeballs out and is now a stakes winner.

Kenneally confirmed L J’s Emma exited the race in good order and is currently shipping to Churchill Downs to get back to training, where she worked leading up to the Galway.

Kenneally said L J’s Emma could target the Grade 3, $1 million Music City, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies on September 2 at Kentucky Downs.

“That might suit her perfectly. Since we put her on the grass, she’s been improving all the time,” said Kenneally.

TSF Thoroughbred’s Mya’s Halo has been nominated to the $150,000 Bolton Landing here, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for juvenile fillies. The daughter of More Than Ready ran second on debut going that distance on July 16 over the Ellis Park green.

“She’s in good form. We’re looking at the Bolton Landing. We’re very high on her,” Kenneally said. “I think she’s nice, so the Landing is a possibility.”

Mya’s Halo was an $80,000 purchase at last year’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She has been breezing at Keeneland since her last start, most recently covering a half mile in 48.40 seconds on August 12.

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Cox breezes slew of graded stakes-winners at Saratoga

Two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox sent out a host of graded stakes-winners for workouts this weekend at Saratoga Race Course, including Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks winner Wet Paint, who is targeting the 10-furlong Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on Saturday here.

A Kentucky homebred for Godolphin, Wet Paint posted her second work since her determined neck triumph in the nine-furlong CCA Oaks, covering five furlongs in 1:02.24 over the Oklahoma dirt training track in company with recent allowance winner and graded stakes-placed Slip Mahoney.

“1:02 and a super good work,” said Cox. “She’s been very steady and very good up here in the mornings. I like the way she came out of it and she’s set up to go the mile and a quarter.”

Cox also sent out Godolphin’s Matareya for a sharp five-furlong move in 59.22 over the Oklahoma on Saturday, her penultimate work before attempting her third Grade 1 victory in the $500,000 Ballerina Handicap on August 26.

“Awesome work. It was very quick and good, not just quick,” said Cox. “A good gallop out as well, so she’s set up for the Ballerina.”

Matareya was last seen finishing third in the Grade 3 Chicago on June 24 at Ellis Park well behind runaway winner Society, who worked five-eighths in 1:00 flat this morning over the Oklahoma main track. In May, she scored a one-length triumph in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs in her second start of her 4-year-old campaign after finishing second in the Matron at Oaklawn Park.

Last year, Matareya posted a strong run of three consecutive graded wins in the Grade 3 Beaumont at Keeneland, the Grade 2 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs and the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park before finishing her sophomore campaign with a third in the local Grade 1 Test. She has finished in-the-money in 11-of-12 lifetime starts.

On Sunday, Cox watched as Miacomet Farm’s Heavenly Sunday breezed over the Oklahoma training turf in preparation for Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Lake Placid, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for sophomore fillies. The daughter of Candy Ride was last see finishing a game second in the one-mile Tepin on July 1 at Ellis.

“She’s doing great. It was an awesome breeze, and all of her works here over the turf have been great,” said Cox. “I love her gallop outs and the way she’s acting. I’m super pleased with her and hopefully we get a good setup.”

Juddmonte’s homebred veteran gelding Set Piece notched a breakthrough triumph in Saturday’s Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs for Cox, flying from last-of-11 under Florent Geroux to coast home a two-length winner in the prestigious 10-furlong turf test for 3-year-olds and up.

Cox reported Set Piece, who collected his fifth graded score and boasts earnings close to $1.7 million, emerged from the effort well and that a next start has not been determined.

“I’ll talk it over with Prince Khalid and his family and make a decision,” said Cox.