Never has a 13th-place finish been so easy to accept for trainer Mark Casse.

Canadian-bred Flameaway finished a distant 13th in the Kentucky Derby at a rain-soaked Churchill Downs on Saturday. But more importantly, the three-year-old escaped significant injury despite twice taking a bad step late in the race.

B次元官网网址淩ight after the race, (jockey) Jose Lezcano came back and said, B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 worried he hurt himself,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Casse said Monday. B次元官网网址淪o we rushed back and I was sick about that.

B次元官网网址淲e got him back to the barn and he was fine so that kind of made me forget he didnB次元官网网址檛 run well. It just made me happy he was OK.B次元官网网址�

In fact, Casse said Flameaway will now be pointed towards the $1-million QueenB次元官网网址檚 Plate on June 30 at Woodbine Racetrack. In February, Flameaway was installed as the 5-1 Winterbook second choice behind Telekinesis (4-1) B次元官网网址� another Casse trainee.

The Winterbook offered early odds on all 109 three-year-olds B次元官网网址� 95 colts and geldings and 14 fillies B次元官网网址� nominated to the 2018 Canadian Triple Crown.

Filly Wonder Gadot provided Casse with his Derby weekend highlight. She finished second in the US$1-million Kentucky Oaks on Friday, a half-length behind Monomoy Girl.

Wonder Gadot narrowly missed becoming the second Canadian-bred to win this event after Gal In A Ruckus did so in B次元官网网址�95 for owner John Oxley.

And the possibility exists that both Wonder Gadot and Telekinesis could join Flameaway in the Plate. Casse said Wonder Gadot will definitely run in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks and expects Telekinesis to go postward in the $125,000 Plate Trial. Both races will be held June 9 at Woodbine.

B次元官网网址淚 havenB次元官网网址檛 totally discussed (Flameaway running in Plate) with Mr. Oxley but we did have a conversation before the Derby about it and so I feel pretty certain thatB次元官网网址檚 where weB次元官网网址檙e going,B次元官网网址� Casse said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e definitely talked to Gary Barber (Wonder GadotB次元官网网址檚 owner) and weB次元官网网址檙e going to go to the Oaks with the hopes of making the QueenB次元官网网址檚 Plate.

B次元官网网址淲e flirted with the idea of running (Telekinesis) in the Preakness but as it stands today heB次元官网网址檚 going to come up and run in the Plate Trial. So we actually have three extremely talented three-year-olds that are going to come up and run there.B次元官网网址�

Wonder Gadot (6-1), named after Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot, was third in the Winterbook odds. In 2014, filly Lexie Lou earned Casse, 10 times Canadian racingB次元官网网址檚 top trainer, his first QueenB次元官网网址檚 Plate victory after winning the Oaks.

The Oaks is the first race of the Canadian Triple Tiara, the Triple Crown for Canadian-foaled fillies.

B次元官网网址淲e already know Wonder Gadot loves the synthetic (surface QueenB次元官网网址檚 Plate is run on),B次元官网网址� Casse said. B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 run on it once and won the Mazarine Stakes (in 2017) at Woodbine by six lengths.

B次元官网网址淔lameaway broke his maiden on it early in his career. Telekinesis has never run on it but heB次元官网网址檚 so talented that I donB次元官网网址檛 think it will matter.B次元官网网址�

Casse said the Derby weather Saturday left him very disheartened.

B次元官网网址淎s a trainer, all you want is a good, fair surface because if your horse at least gets to try and they beat you, then they beat you,B次元官网网址� Casse said. B次元官网网址淭he horse that won the race (Justify, bred by VancouverB次元官网网址檚 John Gunther) is a great horse, thereB次元官网网址檚 no question about.

B次元官网网址淐ould we have possibly finished better had the track been in different shape? I think so.B次元官网网址�

Casse said Flameaway had enjoyed previous success in wet conditions but the sheer volume of rain in Kentucky made running very difficult.

B次元官网网址淚t (wet conditions) is something very few get to experience because for the most part if there was a track like, we would scratch and not run,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut this is the Kentucky Derby B次元官网网址� he earned his way there.B次元官网网址�

Flameaway qualified for the Derby by winning the Sam F. Davis Stakes and finishing second in both the Tampa Bay Derby and Blue Grass Stakes.

Flameaway didnB次元官网网址檛 emerge from the Derby unscathed, finishing with a gash on one of his back legs. But Casse was very thankful it wasnB次元官网网址檛 worse.

B次元官网网址淚t was not serious and heB次元官网网址檚 fine,B次元官网网址� Casse said. B次元官网网址淚 was with him and Wonder Gadot (on Monday morning) and they looked great.

B次元官网网址淚t (injury scare) gives you perspective that, B次元官网网址楬ey, you know what? ItB次元官网网址檚 one race, weB次元官网网址檒l go on. At least heB次元官网网址檚 OK.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

The Canadian Press

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