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BREEDERS' CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPSOctober 30, 2015Mike AmblerGary BarberJeff BeggMark CasseLexington, Kentucky THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf was Catch A Glimpse. We're joined by, from left to right, trainer Mark Casse, owner Gary Barber and another one of the co‑owners, Jeff Begg of Windways Farm. Congratulations to all three of you. An incredible race. And let's start with you, Mark. Maybe take us through it in terms of especially at the break, she comes out of there like a shot. You must have been a little bit worried that they were going to duel on the lead, but then he backs off. MARK CASSE: I started worrying. I apologize because I never remember anybody's horse's names. I only remember the trainers. When I was looking at the handicap in the race and I came to Wesley Ward's horse, gave me great concern. I felt really confident coming into this race. And then I saw, when I was looking at that filly, I said oh, boy. So we talked about it, and our plan was to try to back off of her, either outbreak her and beat her to the first turn or, if she outbroke us, let her go and sit behind. It didn't really‑‑ we were trying to take back, and I was a little concerned. But I tell you what, when they went down the back side and we were able to get outside, I felt pretty good. Because this is a good filly. She's a good filly. THE MODERATOR: I would say so. Mr.Barber, how about you, just in terms of especially watching what looked like perhaps a pace duel out of the gate, but then watching Flo back off and your thoughts early in the race. GARY BARBER: Pretty much the same what Mark said. We are worried about the 5 horse going and getting into a bit of a suicide duel. But Flo did a masterful job of just pulling back and then getting to the outside. Once she got into a comfortable stride on the outside, the time, I think was 24 and 2. It was reasonable time. And when we got to the four turn and coming home, I felt really good, and she got to the lead. When she's on the lead, she's tough. THE MODERATOR: Mark, now maybe just talk about coming into this race, you seemed very confident coming off of the win at Woodbine. MARK CASSE: Not many people listened to me, but I would say this filly's a good filly. I thought when she won the Natalma prep, she was much better than it looked. We've won the Natalma, I think, seven times. And I told a few people, I said, this is the best Natalma winner that I've ever had. And, you know, I thought we had a good shot. Like I said, my only concern was Wesley Ward's filly. But it was exciting. I have to‑‑ Jeff and Mike bought her, and I have to say, Gary has been one of my biggest supporters. If I call Gary with an idea about buying a horse, he usually says yes and that's how this group came together. And it's nice when you can‑‑ when people put that much confidence in you and you're able to deliver. So it was very gratifying. THE MODERATOR: Maybe from Jeff and Michael, we can hear a little bit more about who picked her out at Keeneland last year and how you came to own this filly. JEFF BEGG: I bought the filly last year at Keeneland, and it was funny, because actually I went to look at another filly at a consignment, and this filly was standing outside. I thought, whoa, that filly looks pretty sharp. I looked at the page. She was half sister to a horse called Old Forester, who stands in Canada, a very fast horse. I looked at her again. The second day, I went back and pulled her out with the other horse. Every day I looked at her, I liked her more. She wasn't a big horse, didn't have tons of bone, but she was very, very athletic, looked very quick. And I like fillies with a little pedigree, and I really thought her whole card would probably be the turf with the City Zip and the Irish River on the dam side. So I bought her, and Mike has been a client of mine for a number of years, and he's always game to go in and so he picked up a third and actually, we had her kind of pegged to go to a two‑year‑old sale with a couple other fillies. Every time I watched them train in Ocala, I liked them better and better. I called Mark and said, I want you to come look at some fillies. He came out and watched all three train and he goes, I like them. I said if you can get somebody to buy a third, you can take them and train them. MARK CASSE: And I said I know just the guy [Laughter]. JEFF BEGG: The plan changed a few times, but the partnership came out and the worked out, to say the least. THE MODERATOR: Mike, we would like to hear from you. Talk about watching the filly progress over the last few months, getting better and better. MIKE AMBLER: It's a complete surpriseto be honest. We were discouraged when she ran in the slop at Saratoga and Mark brought her up here, up to Canada. That's where the good news started. As a matter of fact, I wasn't even there for the Natalma because I was in Vancouver for my son's wedding. I was watching it at Hastings and we kind of woke up the old guys that were sleeping around the room at the time. And here we are. What a great thrill. THE MODERATOR: Very good. Let me check and see if there are questions in the briefing room. Q. Mr.Casse, was this race a long‑term target or an afterthought after the horse started getting better? MARK CASSE: As I said to somebody yesterday, this game is about dreams. So when you buy a horse, the dream is always the Breeders' Cup, the Kentucky Derby, those races. So yes, she showed a lot. We had her here this spring and she was‑‑ she showed she was a little better than average. That's why she ended up at Saratoga. But when did I really think we could win the Breeders' Cup? After she was so impressive in the Natalma. I hadn't really given much thought about that. I'm a guy that kind of like goes from one race to the other. Sometimes I get along, but I wanted her to show me she was that good. THE MODERATOR: Mark and Gary, you've both been well represented in the Breeders' Cup over the years. How does it feel to get the win? MARK CASSE: It took me‑‑ us a long time to win the Queen's Plate and we were lucky to win it. Gary and I with Lexi Lou. And then for this, we almost got it‑‑ GARY BARBER: With Laugh Track. MARK CASSE: With Laugh Track a couple years ago. GARY BARBER: Another stride. MARK CASSE: Watch out. We're just getting started now. GARY BARBER: Exactly. THE MODERATOR: Gary, anything to add to that? GARY BARBER: No. I think Mark's right. It's a dream for me, it's my first Breeders' Cup as well. It was my first Queen's Plate with Mark and it's my first Breeders' Cup. Not only is he a great trainer, he's my lucky trainer. Q. Gary or anybody, but, Gary, given your involvement with Spyglass in the movie industry, this horse, if he's turned in the other direction by the barn, you might not have. I mean, is this a movie you would buy and what kind of a movie would it be? GARY BARBER: I got to separate my heart from my brain a little bit when it comes to movies. I struggle to make Sea Biscuit because I kept saying to myself, am I going with my heart instead of the logic. Eventually, the script was so good, decided to invest in Sea Biscuit. But this is a storybook ending, a great script, but I think I'll leave it to the race track. THE MODERATOR: Mark, what will be the targets from here? MARK CASSE: A rest for all of us. I'll talk to these guys. But I would say she'll go to Ocala for a little while and get a little bit of a break and then figure out where we go from there. THE MODERATOR: Very good. Gentlemen, congratulations. Impressive effort and we appreciate the time. MARK CASSE: Hope to see you again tomorrow. GARY BARBER: Me too. THE MODERATOR: Catch A Glimpse is the winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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