NEWS
Casino Drive’s connections still considering jockey for Belmont
Posted: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 4:48 PM
CASINO DRIVE WINNING THE PETER PAN STAKES
Brandon Benson/NYRA photo
Japan-based jockey Yutaka Take, who rode Casino Drive to an 11 1/2-length debut win in a maiden special weight race on February 23 at Kyoto in Japan, may have a return riding engagement aboard the unbeaten Grade 2 winner in the $1-million Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 7.
Trainer Kazou Fujisawa and owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto are still deciding on a rider to replace Kent Desormeaux, who rode Casino Drive to a dominating 5 3/4-length victory in the Peter Pan Stakes (G2) on May 10 at Belmont Park.
Desormeaux’s mount for the Belmont is unbeaten Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Big Brown, who will have to outrun Casino Drive to become racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner.
Nobutaka Tada, managing director of Globe Equine Management Ltd. and spokesperson for Yamamoto and Fujisawa, expects a jockey decision to be made soon and said Take is one of the riders being considered.
Take won the 1991 Seneca Handicap (G3) aboard El Senor at Saratoga Race Course. The 39-year-old rider’s father, Kunihiko, was an accomplished rider who was known as the “Magician on Turf” in Japan.
“We will wait a few days to see how Big Brown is doing and how we are doing,” Tada said.
Desormeaux has ridden Big Brown in four straight starts, including a 5 1/4-length victory in the Preakness on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course. The Boundary colt previously scored a 4 3/4-length win under Desormeaux in the Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs.
“Big Brown was amazing [in the Preakness], most impressive,” Tada said. “But the Belmont Stakes is the reason we are here and Casino Drive loves it here.”
Casino Drive, a Mineshaft colt out of Grade 2 winner Better Than Honour, by Deputy Minister, is a half brother to 2006 Belmont winner Jazil and three-quarter brother to ’07 Belmont winner and champion three-year-old filly Rags to Riches.
Casino Drive may join Algerine (1876) and Prince Eugene (1913) as horses that won the Belmont in their third career starts. Both Algerine and Prince Eugene earned their first career victory in the Belmont.
Tada expects Casino Drive to continue galloping in the days leading up to the Belmont. The chestnut colt will likely breeze before the race.
“It will depend on the weather. Maybe some days we will go out after the harrowing,” Tada said. “We’ll have to see.”
Desormeaux was among a large crowd that greeted Big Brown when the colt was shipped from Pimlico to Belmont on Monday. IEAH Stables’ and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Big Brown will try to join Seattle Slew (1977) as the only unbeaten Triple Crown winner. In completing a successful sweep of the Triple Crown in 1977, Seattle Slew was unbeaten in nine starts.
“I’m confident in this horse because of the way he’s run his races and the level of competition he’s faced,” said trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. “He’s become so much better than any of them. And he has trained and raced in cool weather, so he is still a pretty fresh horse. I really don’t expect to do much more than to give him one maintenance breeze and go on to the Belmont Stakes.
“This horse has an aura about him, and people who will come out to watch him race will be in for a thrill.”
Big Brown made a smooth adjustment to his new surroundings at Belmont in trainer Bobby Frankel’s barn. The colt was placed in the same stall used by ’03 Belmont winner Empire Maker.
“The thing that stands out to me the most is his class,” IEAH Co-President Mike Iavarone said. “He is the most intelligent horse I have ever seen. He loves people, loves all the attention, and he loves to run.”
