HANDICAPPING THE DERBY NO EASY GAME; CAMACHO REACHES CENTURY MARK

By Mike Henry —-

OLDSMAR, FL. – Four 3-year-old colts are in position to join Street Sense (2007), Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017) as Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve winners who performed at Tampa Bay Downs leading up to the Run for the Roses.

Mark Casse trains two of those horses expected to be part of a 20-horse field Saturday at Churchill Downs: Grade II Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby winner Helium and Florida-bred Soup and Sandwich, the Grade I Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa runner-up who won an allowance/optional claiming race here on Feb. 24.

Todd Pletcher, who trained both Super Saver and Always Dreaming, has Curlin Florida Derby winner Known Agenda among his four likely Kentucky Derby starters. Known Agenda finished fifth here in the Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes.

The fourth probable Kentucky Derby starter to have run at Tampa Bay Downs is trainer Vicki Oliver’s Hidden Stash, who finished third in the Sam F. Davis and second in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby.

Those four will challenge presumptive favorite Essential Quality and as many as 15 others in the 147th running of the mile-and-a-quarter classic, which is scheduled to go off at 6:57 p.m. The entire Churchill Downs card will be simulcast at Tampa Bay Downs, which will present its own full card of racing expected to begin around noon.

Attendance here is being capped at 3,500 on Saturday due to COVID-19 restrictions. Patrons must have a ticket to enter the facility. A limited number of general-admission and box-seat tickets are still available for Saturday through www.tampabaydowns.com

Casse, a member of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, vividly recalls his son Norm putting his arm around him and saying “You’re going to win the Kentucky Derby!” as War of Will launched his bid on the turn for home two years ago on a sloppy racetrack.

Within the next few seconds, chaos ensued as leader Maximum Security veered outside, forcing War of Will into Long Range Toddy and Bodexpress. Tyler Gaffalione, the jockey on War of Will, had to check his mount, losing all momentum and crossing the finish line in eighth place.

The subsequent disqualification of Maximum Security following a prolonged stewards’ inquiry gave the victory to 65-1 shot Country House, with War of Will moved to seventh. Two weeks later, Casse and Gaffalione celebrated War of Will’s victory in the Preakness at Pimlico; Casse also won the Belmont that year with Sir Winston.

That was then, and Casse is high on both of his lightly-raced horses’ chances Saturday. Gaffalione will ride Soup and Sandwich and Julien Leparoux has the mount on unbeaten (3-for-3) Helium, who was ridden by Jose Ferrer in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby.

“I still say Classic Empire was the best horse I’ve had in the Derby (in 2017), but he got wiped out at the start” (eventually rallying for fourth), Casse said. “About 90 percent of the time I’ve been interviewed before the Derby, I would say ‘My horse has to have the perfect trip and run the race of his life to win.’

“This year, I think if Soup and Sandwich and Helium give their best efforts, they only have to improve a little to be competitive. Both of them are coming into the race really well and I think they’ll show the kind of improvement that will put them right in the mix.”

Soup and Sandwich is a homebred racing for prominent Florida horsewoman Charlotte C. Weber’s Live Oak Plantation. Weber’s grandfather John T. Dorrance invented the condensed soup formula that turned Campbell’s Soup into a household name.

Live Oak Plantation’s Laser Light finished second to Gato Del Sol in the 1982 Kentucky Derby.

Soup and Sandwich breezed 4 furlongs Friday at Churchill Downs under Gaffalione in 50 seconds flat. “Tyler called me and was delighted about the way he worked,” said Casse, who was in Florida for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. “He thought War of Will was doing as well as possible going into the race two years ago, and I think he is even more excited about the way Soup and Sandwich is training.”

Helium breezed 4 furlongs Friday under Leparoux in 49 4/5. The Kentucky Derby will be the first start for the D. J. Stable-owned runner in eight weeks. Casse pointed out that the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby victory on March 6 came after a layoff of 4 ½ months and was Helium’s first race on a dirt surface and first around two turns.

“I asked (assistant trainer) David Carroll if Julien likes him and he said ‘I don’t know, but he’s bringing him mints every day,’ ” Casse said.

D. J. Stable is the racing name of New Jerseyites Leonard and Lois Green. Their son Jonathan is the stable manager.

Known Agenda, a homebred racing for St. Elias Stable and to be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., has looked like a different horse since Pletcher outfitted him with blinkers before an 11-length victory on Feb. 26 at Gulfstream Park in an allowance/optional claiming race. He breezed 5 furlongs Friday at Churchill Downs in 1:01.

His path to Louisville is similar to that forged by Always Dreaming, whose Kentucky Derby victory was preceded by a maiden score at Tampa Bay Downs in January, followed by triumphs at Gulfstream in an allowance/optional claiming race and the Florida Derby. St. Elias was one of several owners of Always Dreaming.

A wise person once said that you bet the horse with the best story to win the Kentucky Derby, and it’s possible the best might be Oliver becoming the first woman trainer to win the race (Shelley Riley was second with Casual Lies in 1992).

Oliver has had the BBN Racing-owned colt at Keeneland, where he breezed 5 furlongs Friday in 1:003/5. Rafael Bejarano is the jockey.

Hidden Stash worked in company with a stablemate that was ridden by Oliver, and she was encouraged by his acceleration. “He (Hidden Stash) worked fantastic,” she told a reporter. “He sat about three or four (lengths) off the stablemate. He went by me between the eighth pole and the sixteenth pole and opened up four. It was just what we wanted.”

Only one horse will give their connections what they want Saturday – unless Casse’s wish comes true. “I have two wonderful owners, and it would be nice to have a dead-heat,” he said.

Around the oval. Samy Camacho rode two winners today to extend his lead in the jockey standings to 100-96 from Antonio Gallardo. Camacho won the fifth race on the turf aboard King Leonardo, who was elevated to first upon the disqualification of Rough Night for impeding King Leonardo through the stretch. The victorious 5-year-old Florida-bred gelding is owned by Manuel Azpurua and trained by Eduardo Azpurua, Jr.

Camacho also won the sixth race on the grass, the Cody’s Original Roadhouse Race of the Week, aboard Theuncapturedlady, a 3-year-old Florida-bred filly owned by Bruce Patterson and trained by Kathleen O’Connell.

Jose Ferrer also rode two winners. Ferrer captured the seventh race on Ruby Lee, a 3-year-old filly owned and trained by Walter Woodard. Ferrer added the ninth and final race on the turf with Jungle Fighter, a 5-year-old gelding owned and trained by Kerri Raven. Jungle Fighter was claimed from the race for $16,000 by trainer Aldana Gonzalez for new owner Bruno Schickedanz.

Thoroughbred racing continues Wednesday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 2 is “Fan Appreciation Day,” and there will be a video tribute between races to track announcer Richard Grunder, who is retiring after 37 years at the Tampa Bay Downs microphone.

Tampa Bay Downs is open every day for simulcast wagering, no-limits action and tournament play in The Silks Poker Room and golf fun and instruction at The Downs Golf Practice Facility.