NEWS
Casino Drive has family history on his side at Belmont
Posted: Thursday, May 08, 2008 5:17 PM
CASINO DRIVE
Japan Racing Association photo
by Mike Curry
Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour’s two most widely recognized offspring—Rags to Riches and Jazil—delivered their career-defining races on the main track at Belmont Park.
Rags to Riches, by A.P. Indy, became the first filly in 102 years to win the Belmont Stakes (G1) last year and Jazil, by Seeking the Gold, earned his first career graded stakes win in the ’06 Belmont Stakes.
Casino Drive, a three-year-old Mineshaft colt out of Better Than Honour, will make his North American debut at Belmont Park on Saturday against eight challengers in the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes (G2).
The Peter Pan will serve as a prep race for the Belmont Stakes on June 7 for Casino Drive, who posted an 11 1/2-length romp on February 23 in Japan in his only career start for owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto.
“All we hope for on Saturday is that the horses have a safe trip and come back healthy,” said Nobutaka Tada, managing director for Globe Equine Management Ltd. “Casino Drive is going to run in the Belmont, regardless of how he runs on Saturday. He needs the race.
“It is because of his breeding for the Belmont Stakes that we are here, and [hopefully] we can attract many people to the race. [Yamamoto] is very sports-minded, and this is why these horses have come to America.”
Yamamoto also entered Spark Candle, a maiden winner in Japan in the 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan. By A.P. Indy, Spark Candle is out of champion Serena’s Song, by Rahy.
The Peter Pan also drew Peruvian dual classic winner Tomcito, who enters off a sixth-place finish in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G2) at Keeneland Race Course on April 19. The Street Cry (Ire) colt finished third in his North American debut on March 29 in the Florida Derby (G1), which was won by eventual Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) victor Big Brown.
Other contenders include Golden Spikes, runner-up in the Illinois Derby (G2) on April 5 at Hawthorne Race Course in his previous start; Federico Tesio Stakes runner-up Mint Lane; and Tesio third-place finisher Deputyville.
Mike Curry is Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
The field, in post-position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:
1. Casino Drive (Mineshaft), Kent J. Desormeaux, 116, Kazuo Fujisawa;
2. Tomcito (Street Cry [IRE]), Cornelio H. Velasquez, 120, Dante Zanelli, Jr.;
3. Mint Lane (Maria's Mon), Eibar Coa, 116, James A. Jerkens;
4. Deputyville (Deputy Warlock), Jose L. Espinoza, 116, Gary C. Contessa;
5. Spark Candle (A.P. Indy), Jorge F. Chavez, 116, Kazuo Fujisawa;
6. Golden Spikes (Seeking the Gold), Edgar S. Prado, 116, Martin D. Wolfson;
7. Ready's Echo (More Than Ready), John R. Velazquez, 116, Todd A. Pletcher;
8. Cosmic (El Prado [IRE]), Javier Castellano, 116, Claude R. McGaughey III; and
9. Fast Talking (Hennessy), Alan Garcia, 116, Robin L. Graham.
