Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse had a big day at Woodbine on Saturday, winning a pair of graded stakes with OBS graduates.
Team Valor International and Gary Barber’s Elysian Field, (Hard Spun – Elysian) trailed in the early going of the $135,000 Maple Leaf Stakes (G3). But the 4-year-old daughter of Hard Spun circled horses on the turn to reach contention, swung wide for the drive, ran past the leaders in deep stretch and was best by a length and a quarter. It’s her second stakes victory, leaving her with a 14-4-6-0 record and $669,391 in earnings. After breezing an Under Tack quarter in :21 3/5 at the 2020 OBS June Sale, she was purchased for $70,000 by Bruce Brown, Agent, out of the Ocala Stud consignment. watch her under tack video June Sale walking video
In the $135,000 Bessarabian Stakes (G3), K E M Racing Stable’s Stormcast (Mitole – Scolara) went right to the front, opened daylight in the stretch, and held off the late runners and scored by half a length. It’s the second stakes win for the 3-year-old daughter of champion OBS graduate Mitole, purchased for $95,000 out of the Halcyon Hammock Farm consignment at the 2023 OBS March Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. The win leaves her with an 8-3-4-1 career record with $309,205 in earnings. watch her under tack video March Sale walking video