Casino Drive a threat to Big Brown’s Triple Crown bid
NEW YORK – Casino Drive seems to have everything it takes to derail Big Brown’s Triple Crown attempt in the Belmont Stakes a week from Saturday. His breeding shouts Belmont, his two career races have been breathtaking and he will be ridden by Edgar Prado, who has spoiled two of the past three Triple tries.
The winning ingredients may be in place for the mystery horse from Japan, but Big Brown will be far from a pushover. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner has been dominant in winning all five of his races and there aren’t many who believe he won’t take the Belmont with ease and become the first Triple Crown champion in 30 years, since Affirmed in 1978.
Casino Drive’s connections, however, seem politely confident the 1 1/2-mile Belmont is their race to win.
“Big Brown is a great horse, and we are honored to be running with him in a great race like the Belmont Stakes,” said Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for Casino Drive’s owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto, the chief executive of a company that develops designs and produces video games and slot machines.
In 2006, Casino Drive’s half brother Jazil won the Belmont Stakes, and a year later his three-quarter sister Rags to Riches became the first filly to win the race in 102 years.
“We didn’t bring him here, his pedigree brought him here,” Tada said Wednesday, noting that Casino Drive was purchased at the 2006 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, well before Rags to Riches emerged. “He was a nice, big, leggy, tall colt, and we thought he could race on the turf, too.”
The colt by Mineshaft, out of the mare Better Than Honour, arrived in America last month and settled in at Belmont Park, and when he won the Peter Pan Stakes, “that’s really when the interest picked up,” said Tada.
In the May 10 Peter Pan at Belmont, under Big Brown’s regular rider Kent Desormeaux, Casino Drive looked more like a seasoned thoroughbred than a horse making his second career start as he came from off the pace and pulled clear for a 5 3/4-length victory.
“He’s a phenomenal talent,” Desormeaux said after the Peter Pan. “We’ve got our hands full with this one. It’s going to be ultimately exciting for all the fans. He’s got that stride.”