Casa Creed Appears in Poker Thanks to Saratoga Move

Casa Creed  returns to the United States on what has traditionally been one of his best weekends, now held at his best track, as he headlines the $350,000 Poker Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course June 8.

Casa Creed has been a mainstay on the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival card the last three years, winning the Jaipur (G1T) in 2021 and 2022 and finishing third to Caravel  last year. With the Jaipur shortened from six furlongs to 5 1/2 furlongs with the move from Belmont Park, trainer Bill Mott has rerouted Casa Creed to the one-mile Poker instead.

The 8-year-old son of Jimmy Creed   is 4-for-6 at Saratoga, highlighted by victories in the last two editions of the one-mile Fourstardave Handicap (G1T). Third in the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T), Casa Creed makes his second start of the year after finishing third in the March 30 Al Quoz Sprint (G1) in Dubai.

Video: Fourstardave H. (G1T)

The four-time grade 1 winner has earned $2,670,308 for owners LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable and is in search of his 10th career victory in his 36th start.

E Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Carl Spackler  won both of his graded stakes starts at Saratoga last summer to close out his 3-year-old season. He returned from an eight-month layoff May 2 with a head victory in the Opening Verse Stakes at Churchill Downs over Allen Stable and CHC's Talk of the Nation , who was returning from a six-month layoff.