Tepin Back to Brilliant in Saratoga Work

It has been a couple months now since trainer Mark Casse and his staff asked champion Tepin to flash the greatness they all know she has within her.

While Casse never thought a little rest and relaxation would dull the 5-year-old mare's edge, the Canadian Hall of Famer certainly breathed easier after getting a reminder of what his top charge is capable of during a stellar four-furlong workout in :47.04 in company with graded stakes-winning stablemate Airoforce on the Saratoga Race Course turf training track Aug. 23.

In just her third workout since becoming the first U.S.-based horse to win the Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot June 14, Robert Masterson's Tepin let it be known she is well on course for an expected start in the $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Can-IT) Sept. 17.

Casse had said he was going to do something more serious with the daughter of Bernstein after she went four furlongs in a leisurely 53.11 at Saratoga Aug. 16. While Tepin isn't always known for showing her hand in the mornings, this latest effort was the definitive sign he was looking for to let him know she has put some lackluster training days this summer behind her.

"It never hurts to get a reminder every now and then of how great she is," Casse said. "It was nice to see. You always feel like it's there but it has been a long time since we've asked her to give us anything. (This work) brought a big smile to all of our faces."

With regular rider Julien Leparoux still sidelined with a wrist fracture, jockey Florent Geroux has been aboard Tepin for her most recent works. Casse said the minute Geroux got on the back of the reigning Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) heroine Tuesday morning, he could tell they were going to be in for a show.

"Florent was on her last week and was on her again today, and he said, 'I knew once I got on her, once I started backing her up and turned her around, she was different today,' " Casse said. "It was a perfect work."

Casse said Airoforce, who ran second in the Aug. 5 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (gr. IIT) at Saratoga, is being pointed to the $350,000 Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Derby Sept. 11 at Kentucky Downs. Casse also got further good news in learning Leparoux is expected to be able to start getting back on horses the last week of August.

Bred by Machmer Hall, Tepin will take a seven-race win streak into her latest showdown against males in the Woodbine Mile, in which she will attempt to give eight-time Sovereign Award-winner Casse his first ever victory in Canada's premiere grass test. The bay mare has won 12 of 20 career starts and has earnings of $3,563,838.