Pimlico Special-bound Noble Bird heads Casse group
Commissioner won the 2015 Pimlico Special. Photo by Laurie Asseo.
From a Maryland Jockey Club release
Two weeks after finishing last of eight as the favorite in the Alysheba (G2), Grade 1 winner Noble Bird will wheel back in the $300,000 Sagamore Spirit Pimlico Special (G3) May 20 at Pimlico Race Course.
John Oxley’s Noble Bird is one of a dozen horses from trainer Mark Casse being pointed to nine of 15 stakes next weekend, including Fellowship in the 141st running of the Preakness Stakes (G1).
Seven of those horses breezed Saturday morning at Churchill Downs under the direction of Casse’s son and assistant Norm Casse, who handles the stable’s strings in Kentucky, Florida and New York.
In addition to Noble Bird, Team Casse plans to run Grade 2-placed Theogony in the $150,000 Allaire DuPont (G3), stakes winner R Girls a Charmer in the $150,000 Adena Springs Miss Preakness, and maiden winner Sky My Sky in the $100,000 Hilltop on the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) program May 20.
Theogony worked four furlongs in 49.00 seconds Saturday, while Sky My Sky went the same distance in 48.20.
On the Preakness undercard, Team Casse will be represented by Za Approval and Conquest Typhoon in the $250,000 Longines Dixie (G2); Josdesanimaux, Mississippi Delta and Ol’ Fashion Gal in the $150,000 Gallorette (G2); Moon King in the $100,000 Sir Barton and Conquest Windycity in the $100,000 James W. Murphy.
Josdesanimaux (47.60 seconds), Conquest Typhoon (48.20), Ol’ Fashion Gal (48.20), Mississippi Delta (49.00) and Za Approval (49.60) each worked four furlongs Saturday at Churchill.
The Casse contingent is scheduled to leave Kentucky around 4 p.m. Monday and arrive in Baltimore early Tuesday morning.
“Everybody worked really well. We’re really excited to come to Pimlico for Preakness weekend with a lot of horses that have chances to win a lot of these good races,” Norm Casse said. “We’re extremely excited about participating on the weekend. We’re looking forward to it.”
