Picture: Oaklawn/Coady Media
depend the celebrities Corridor of Fame coach Mark Casse capped off a robust Saturday at Oak Garden with a six-length victory within the $150,000 prize subject. year-end stakes.
The one-mile Yr’s Finish for 2-year-old fillies was the centerpiece of Oaklawn’s youth-only fourth-year card. Casse, who picked up his first win at two particular weights initially of the 10-race program, returned to victory on the finish of the yr because the 6-5 favourite Counting Stars received in his two-turn debut below jockey Francisco Arrieta.
“They did an ideal job and bought her again in nice form in 13 days,” Arietta mentioned. “She carried me all the best way and did the whole lot. She was quick, so I assumed she could be extra ahead. I used to be a little bit anxious. She had extra pace within the race. However fortunately, I used to be exterior and he or she was relaxed. She began pulling early. I let her go a little bit bit, went straightforward, and he or she did the whole lot. She completed robust.”
13 days after successful by 4 lengths over six furlongs within the inaugural Astral Spa Stakes ($135,000) on Dec. 14, further decide Counting Stars ($4.40) grew to become the primary horse to win back-to-back stakes this season at Oak Garden.
Newtown Pike, competing for the primary time with blinkers, completed second, three-quarters of a size behind Scotland Row. Paving, who entered the race with no loss in two races, completed in 4th place, adopted by Genuine Cat, Copper Wind, Kaboom, Fijirus, and Sticker Shocked.
Counting Stars, who broke from put up 8, picked up the tempo from the start. She took the lead in flip two with a three-wide transfer and pulled away all the best way. The successful time on the high-speed observe was 1 minute 38.68 seconds.
On the $150,000 OBS Spring Sale for 2-year-olds in coaching, the daughter of Honor AP improved to 4:3-0-1 and earned $230,606.
Kass mentioned Counting Stars will confer with the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes on Jan. 31, the primary of three qualifying races for the 2026 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Oak Garden.
“She was broad, which nobody needs to be, however she was on her recreation,” Kass mentioned. “Hopefully, if I can come again and run observe races below her, she would possibly quiet down a little bit bit. If she’s going to beat good horses on the highway, if she’s going to be a top-class horse, she’s going to need to discover ways to quiet down a little bit bit. However that ought to occur in some races.”
