Giada Vegas should be rolling late

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Between brunch with his father-inlaw and a family dinner that includes his youngest son, Mark Casse will take time Sunday to watch his horses in action via satellite dish.

“We’re going to England on Monday” to run La Coronel in the Coronation Stakes next week at Royal Ascot, Casse said from Ocala, Fla., “but we’ve got a pretty busy Father’s Day planned before that.”

Casse has nearly as many children (seven ages 14 to 35) as Sovereign Awards (nine) for top trainer in Canada. He learned invaluable lessons in both parenting and horsemanship

from his late father, Norm Casse, who died in March 2016 at age 79.

“He was the best,” said Casse. “I miss him.”

Besides having horses entered in four races Sunday at Woodbine in suburban Toronto, Casse has one in the lone allowance on the Father’s Day card at Churchill Downs – Giada Vegas, one of the deserving favorites among an oversubscribed field of fillies and mares in the ninth of 10 races. His second-oldest child, son Norman, will be here to deputize as usual in his father’s absence.

Giada Vegas, said Mark Casse, “has been running well and should fit well in there. She seems to be getting better with racing.”

Giada Vegas, with Florent Geroux to ride, will break from post 10 in the $55,300, first-level allowance scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on turf. Owned by Dixiana Farms, the 4-year-old Scat Daddy filly has been knocking on the proverbial door for this condition since winning a March 17 maiden race on the Fair Grounds turf. She finished third at Keeneland in April and second at Churchill last month, both times with left-field rallies that fell short by a neck.

Other contenders in a very well-matched lineup include Corby, shortening up from three turns for Brendan Walsh; A Dixie Twister, stretching out from sprints for Mike Maker; and the uncoupled Ian Wilkes duo of Res Ipsa, in the money in seven of 11 starts, and Bonnie Arch, a maiden winner last out over the local surface.

First post on a day historically well attended by local families is 12:45 p.m. Eastern, with the nominal feature set for 4:51.

After Sunday, Churchill goes dark for three days before another four-day week resumes with a Twilight Thursday card. The 38-day spring meet closes June 30.