LEXINGTON, Ky. – Mark Casse has won the Sovereign Award for the top trainer in Canada a remarkable seven times, but that’s not the whole story. All of North America now seems to be his domain, and that includes Keeneland, where the 54-year-old Indianapolis native enjoyed a fall-meet opening weekend he won’t soon forget.

Casse sent out five winners from 11 starters over the three-day weekend as he pursues his second training title at Keeneland, where he has been kicking around since he was a teenager.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It’s onward and upward for the horses who emerged as major Breeders’ Cup contenders with stellar performances during the eventful three-day FallStars Weekend that opened the Keeneland fall meet.

Here is a race-by-race follow-up on each of the nine FallStars stakes:

◗ Few horses were more impressive last weekend than Runhappy, who won the Grade 3 Phoenix on Friday. The 3-year-old colt now proceeds to the BC Sprint as one of the favorites.

Ridden by Edgar Prado, Runhappy won despite a tardy start and a saddle that slipped through the stretch run.

Woodward Stakes winner Liam’s Map turned in his first Keeneland work Monday as he begins final preparations for either the Breeders’ Cup Classic or Dirt Mile.

Liam’s Map worked solo with jockey Javier Castellano aboard and turned in a half-mile clocking of 48.60 seconds over a fast track, according to Keeneland clockers. He galloped out in 1:01.20 and 1:13.40.

“I thought he worked very well,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “He was relaxed, seemed to get over the track in good order, and galloped out really well.”

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Post positions will be drawn Wednesday for the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, which runs Saturday and is the sixth and final Grade 1 race of the 17-day Keeneland fall meet.

Ten 3-year-old fillies have been invited to the 32nd Queen Elizabeth II, and Keeneland racing staff expected all 10 to start in the 1 1/8-mile turf race. In alphabetical order, they are Blond Me, Feathered, Her Emmynency, Miss Temple City, Mizz Money, Olorda, Prize Exhibit, Return to Grace, Sentiero Italia, and Sharla Rae.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After her triumphs against males in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby and Grade 3 British Columbia Derby in western Canada, Academic has rejoined trainer Reade Baker at Woodbine.

The Woodbine Oaks winner arrived at Woodbine late Friday night. Baker said Saturday that he had no immediate plans for Academic’s next race and was unsure whether she’d be pointed for the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland at the end of the month.

“She just arrived back in Ontario, and I don’t know what she’s going to be doing,” he said.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It is said that bad things come in threes. The old adage came true over the weekend as three stakes-winning horses were euthanized after suffering catastrophic injuries, casting a pall over an otherwise-exciting three-day opening to the Keeneland fall meet.

Shore Runner, Skyring, and Tacticus died in unrelated accidents in a span of less than 24 hours on FallStars Weekend.

The events of the first 48 hours of Keeneland’s fall meet had trainer Mark Casse pondering a start in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile for Conquest Big E, if the colt can get in the field. 

Making his debut Sept. 11 at Churchill Downs, Conquest Big E broke in the air, pulled his way up toward the lead, and was unable to resist a late charge by Brody’s Cause, who won the one-mile race by 1 1/4  lengths.

ARCADIA, Calif. – No Silent, who won his first graded stakes Saturday in the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita, could start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31 if the gelding can earn a berth in the field.

Trainer Gary Mandella said he is making plans to take No Silent to Kentucky but expressed reservation the BC Turf Sprint could oversubscribe.

“If we can get in, we’d like to try it,” he said.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Ashleyluvssugar, winner of two Grade 2 stakes for turf marathoners at Santa Anita in the spring, has been turned out for a rest, trainer Peter Eurton said Sunday.

Ashleyluvssugar left the Eurton stable at Santa Anita on Sunday morning for nearby Bradbury, Calif., where he will be based on a farm this fall.
Eurton had considered starting Ashleyluvssugar at the Del Mar November meeting.

ARCADIA, Calif. – As many as three runners from Saturday’s Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship may start in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Wild Dude and Kobe’s Back, the first two finishers, and Masochistic, fourth as the beaten favorite, are under consideration for the BC Sprint.

Wild Dude earned an automatic berth for the BC Sprint through the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program. Wild Dude was not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup as a weanling and must be supplemented to the program for $100,000 to be eligible for the BC Sprint.