Got Stormy can give Casse third Mile win in four years

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse will look to win his third Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile in the last four years when he sends out 8-5 morning line favorite Got Stormy against males in Saturday’s 23rd running of the key prep for the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Got Stormy enters the Woodbine Mile on a two-race win streak, with the victories coming just seven days apart earlier this summer at Saratoga. She returned off a threemonth layoff to win the De La Rose Stakes on Aug. 3, before becoming the first female to win the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap, setting a course record for a mile.

Casse said his original idea was to run Got Stormy in the Woodbine Mile following the De La Rose, but owner Gary Barber wanted to give the Fourstardave a try.

“Gary was the one that pushed so hard for the Fourstardave,” Casse said. “I gave him all the reasons why we shouldn’t do it and he said, ‘Okay, that’s good, but unless you tell me you’re not happy with her I want to run her back in a week.’ As the week went on between the De La Rose and the Fourstardave, she just got bigger and stronger. She just started thriving.”

Casse won his first Woodbine Mile with Tepin in 2016. He followed that up with a win by World Approval in 2017. While Got Stormy still has a long way to go to match Tepin’s résumé, Casse said he’s beginning to see similarities between the two.

“After her last race, it was brought to me, ‘Can we compare her to Tepin?’ ” he said. “Tepin’s accomplished a lot of things, but you’ve definitely got to think you can start talking about it a little bit. She did something no other filly’s ever done when she won the Fourstardave. She did it off a week’s layoff, and broke the track record by a second. I think you can start talking about her being on the exceptional side. She still has a lot to do and to prove to be in the same league as Tepin but she does seem to be on her way there.”

The Woodbine Mile is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. The winner will receive a fees-paid berth in the $2 million BC Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

KEY CONTENDERS

Got Stormy, by Get Stormy Last 3 Beyers: 108-100-100

◗ Got Stormy has experience over the Woodbine turf course, having won the Grade 3 Ontario Colleen Stakes at the one-mile distance last July.

◗ Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who rode Got Stormy in the De La Rose but not in the Fourstardave, will be back in the saddle in the Woodbine Mile.

Raging Bull, by Dark Angel Last 3 Beyers: 103-102-97

◗ The Fourstardave runnerup, he will look to give trainer Chad Brown his first win in the Woodbine Mile. This will be Brown’s second starter in the race. He shipped Bobby’s Kitten to Woodbine to finish third behind Trade Storm in 2014.

◗ Raging Bull will be looking to record his first win since last December’s Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar. He’s winless in four starts in 2019, all Grade 1 stakes, including a third in the Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont Park in June.

Synchrony, by Tapit Last 3 Beyers: 95-101-94

◗ The 6-year-old will be making his first start since winning the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes here in June.

◗ He has been training regularly at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland for trainer Michael Stidham, who has shipped horses up to win 4 of 7 starts at Woodbine this season.

Lucullan, by Hard Spun Last 3 Beyers: 98-98-99

◗ He’s won back-to-back starts since returning to the races following a year layoff.

◗ Last time out on Aug. 3, he captured the Lure Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf at Saratoga.

Awesometank, by Intense Focus Last 3 Beyers: 99-NA-NA

◗ The second filly in the field, Awesometank made her North American debut at Arlington Park on Aug. 10, finishing second to Sistercharlie in the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes.

◗ She’s a listed stakes winner in England, having won the Conqueror Stakes over a mile at Goodwood in May.

Silent Poet, Silent Name Last 3 Beyers: 100-95-89

◗ He’s won both his races in 2019 and captured the local prep for this event, the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes, in his most recent start on Aug. 24.

◗ Play the King runner-up Sable Island, and third-place finisher Curlin’s Honor will both run in the Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes earlier on the card.