Trainer Bios

Mark Casse

Born: Feb. 14, 1961, in Indianapolis

Record at Keeneland

Total Wins: 129

Stakes Wins: 29

Career Firsts

First Grade 1 Win: 2001 Metropolitan Handicap with Exciting Story

First Stakes Win: 1979 Indian Maid at Sportsman’s Park with Amalie

First Graded Stakes Win: 1984 Jamaica (G3) at Belmont Park with Raja’s Shark

First Career Win: April 14, 1979, at Keeneland with Joe’s Coming

Starters in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

Year	Horse	Finish
2023	Classic Car Wash	8th
2020	Enforceable	4th
2019	Sir Winston	7th
2019	Dream Maker	13th
2018	Flameaway	2nd
2018	Determinant	13th
2015	Danzig Moon	2nd
2014	Coastline	10th
2013	Dynamic Sky	9th
2013	Uncaptured	10th
2012	Prospective	6th
2008	Miner’s Claim	6th
2006	Seaside Retreat	6th

At Keeneland

Sent out Wonder Wheel to win the 2022 Darley Alcibiades (G1) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) in consecutive starts at Keeneland.

Four wins in the Darley Alcibiades. Others came with Spring in the Air (2012), My Conquestadory (2013) and Heavenly Love (2017).

Three titles as leading trainer: 2014 Spring, 2015 Spring (tie with Steve Asmussen and Kenny McPeek) and 2016 Fall.

Sent out Tepin to win the 2015 First Lady (G1) and Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) and 2016 Coolmore Jenny Wiley (G1).

Other Grade 1 winners are Catch a Glimpse (2015 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf), Classic Empire (2016 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity), La Coronel (2017 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup) and War of Will (2020 Maker's Mark Mile).

Won first Keeneland race during the 1979 Spring Meet with his first starter, Joe’s Coming.

Career

Triple Crown wins (2): 2019 Preakness (G1) with War of Will; 2019 Belmont (G1) with Sir Winston.

2020 inductee into the Racing Hall of Fame. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, induction ceremony was held in 2021. Casse joined the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2016.

Breeders' Cup wins (6): 2015 Mile with Tepin and Juvenile Fillies Turf with Catch a Glimpse; 2016 Juvenile with Classic Empire; 2017 Mile with World Approval: 2018 Filly and Mare Sprint with Shamrock Rose: 2022 Juvenile Fillies with Wonder Wheel.

North American career earnings exceed $233 million with 3,688 wins through Mar. 31, 2024.

Recorded his 3,000th career victory when Souper Watson won the third race on Nov. 19, 2020, at Gulfstream Park West.

Received the 2019 Big Sport of Turfdom award from Turf Publicists of America.

Sent out champion Tepin to win the 2016 Queen Anne (G1) during the prestigious Royal Ascot meet in England.

Has won a record 15 Sovereign Awards as Canada’s outstanding trainer: 2006-2008 and 2011-2022.

Click here for his Equibase career record.

Background

A trip in a horse van with his father, Norman Casse, to see Secretariat win the 1973 Kentucky Derby hooked Mark on racing. His father had a successful breeding operation in Indiana before moving his family to Ocala, Florida., where he established Cardinal Hill Farm. Norman retired as chairman of the board of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales in 2006 after more than 40 years involvement in the industry.

For a portion of the year, Mark maintains a string at Keeneland with assistant David Carroll. War of Will, winner of the 2019 Preakness (G1), has trained at Keeneland.

Mark’s son, Norm, was his top assistant until going out on his own in 2018.