Kasseopia Seeks Better Start in Spiral
Description:
In light of a slow start that left him with plenty to do to close into a soft pace, Team Valor International and Gary Barber's Kasseopia put in an impressive run to get third in the Feb. 13 El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) at Golden Gate Fields.
The El Camino Real was his first start in the U.S. and first try as a 3-year-old. His second will come April 2 in the Spiral Stakes (gr. III) at Turfway Park.
"I think he did everything he could have possibly done considering the start he got off to," three-time Spiral-winning trainer Graham Motion said from Keeneland April 1. "The frustrating part of it is that he actually had to run very hard to do what he did. What ended up as being a fairly inconsequential race because of the way he started—he had a pretty hard race that day."
NOVAK: Frank Conversation Wins El Camino Real Derby
Kasseopia didn't stumble or get bumped; he just wasn't focused on the task at hand.
"This horse is extremely laid back, very kind, very relaxed, and that's what you want in a horse," Motion said. "But it's almost like he went to sleep and it surprised him when the gates opened."
To remedy the lackadaisical behavior, Motion has taken the English-bred son of Showcasing to the starting gate multiple times in recent mornings for extra schooling.
"He was pretty forward," Motion said. "I wouldn't say he breaks like a sprinter or anything like that, but I certainly expect him to break better on Saturday, and he needs to, otherwise it's going to compromise him again."
With seven weeks since the El Camino Real Derby, the muscular chestnut has had plenty of time to recover and prepare for a final shot at qualifying for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
"This was the race that was obvious to us," Motion said. "We've had luck in this race and the timing was great."
Motion and Team Valor have teamed up to win this race twice before, in 2011 with Animal Kingdom , the last Spiral winner to go on to win the Kentucky Derby, and in 2012 with Went the Day Well, campaigned in partnership with Mark Ford. Motion's first Spiral win came in 2008 with Courtlandt Farm's Adriano.