Casse Mulls Derby Path for Classic Empire

Trainer Mark Casse has a tentative—stress the word "tentative"—route mapped out to get Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Classic Empire to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). And already the Canadian Hall of Fame conditioner is having to think about a curve in the road which recently manifested.

With an Eclipse Award for champion 2-year-old male a virtual lock after Classic Empire's multiple grade I-winning campaign, Casse and owner John Oxley have started hashing out potential prep races en route to the first Saturday in May with the Feb. 4 Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (gr. II) and March 4 Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park pegged as early targets. While Casse said a start in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland was their first choice for Classic Empire's final Derby prep, the fact the 1 1/8-mile test was recently downgraded from grade I to grade II status for 2017 has prompted the connections to put other options—like the April 1 Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (gr. I)—back into the discussion.

The Blue Grass was the pro tem leader to land Classic Empire given the colt's handy victory over the Keeneland track in the Oct. 8 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (gr. I). Though his proven affinity for the surface may still win out, staying at his current base in Florida for a top-level race with a million dollar purse suddenly carries added weight.

"Our plan had been the Blue Grass," Casse said. "Mr. Oxley and I already had a conversation when it came out that the Blue Grass was not a grade I anymore. It's something we'll have to discuss as we get closer. We'll see.

"I was really was looking forward to taking (Classic Empire) back to Keeneland because we know how much he likes Keeneland and it's a nice adjustment that time of year. You're starting to have spring and horses do extremely well in Kentucky in the spring and if we have to stay in Florida, the weather is a little different and everything and I don't think it's quite as good. But again, right now we have to get by the first couple of steps. I would say we're looking at the Blue Grass or the Florida Derby."

Choosing a path for the horse Casse calls the best juvenile he's ever conditioned is a good issue to have. The only blemish on Classic Empire's five-race résumé came in the Sept. 5 Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) when the colt wheeled out the gate and unseated jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

Another good problem to have is the fact Casse is already being asked about his chances at pulling off a Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I)-Kentucky Derby double. In addition to having 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) runner-up Valadorna wintering at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Casse reports Oxley's grade I winner Pretty City Dancer should start breezing in Florida soon.

Pretty City Dancer deadheated for the win in the grade I Spinaway Stakes Sept. 3 but has been sidelined since with a minor ankle injury. The daughter of Tapit   arrived at Palm Meadows Training Center Dec. 6, joining the Casse string that includes reigning champion turf female Tepin, who is being pointed towards the Feb. 11 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes (gr. IIT) at Tampa Bay Downs for her seaonal bow and a possible trip to Dubai in March.

"That is the plan," Casse said of Tepin. "But Mr. (owner Robert) Masterson has made it quite clear to us that if we have any reservations, we don't have to do that. It's still a long ways to that first race in February and if she gives us any inkling that this is not what she wants to do, then she'll go become a mommy."