Connections excited about Golden History's chances in Golden Rod

Connections excited about Golden History's chances in

Golden Rod

It had been 48 hours since Golden History's five-furlong bullet work at

Churchill Downs, but the staff in the barn of trainer Mark Casse continue to

beam over that sharp training move on a dreary Wednesday morning beneath the

Twin Spires.

The barn is now counting the days until Churchill Downs' Stars of Tomorrow II

racing program on November 26, when the Kentucky-bred two-year-old daughter of

Medaglia d'Oro is expected to compete in the Grade 2, $150,000 Golden Rod

Stakes.

Golden History zipped five furlongs on in 1:00 2/5 on Monday under exercise

rider Melanie Giddings, recording the fastest of 24 moves at the distance.

"She worked great and went over the track really well," assistant trainer

Norman Casse said. "We're still thinking that she's going to run a big race in

what will be just her third start in the Golden Rod. She's trained well since

her last race and she should be right there."

John Oxley's Golden History began her career with a 2 3/4-length victory over

the synthetic Polytrack at Woodbine and was entered in the Grade 2 Pocahontas

Stakes on Stars of Tomorrow I at Churchill Downs off that effort. Breaking from

the gate at odds of 18-1, Golden History finished fifth, beaten three lengths in

the one-mile race.

"I think she needed a start over the dirt and she probably didn't get a whole

lot out of her first race," Casse said. "It was also asking a lot of her to run

in the Pocahontas in just her second start. We were hoping to run her in an

allowance race here, but the race didn't go, so our hands were tied and we had

to go (in the Pocahontas). The Golden Rod has been the target all along."

The dark bay lass was a $450,000 purchase earlier this year out of the Ocala

Breeders' Sales Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, and has carried high

hopes since the day she came under Casse's care. Golden History's second dam is

multiple classic queen User Friendly, a winner of four Group 1 races in Europe

on her way to the Cartier Award for European Horse of the Year in 1992.

"She has a great pedigree and she's a really good mover," Casse said. "She's

also very intelligent. She has all the characteristics of a good horse."

Another two-year-old filly in the Casse barn with lots of potential is Sky

High Lady, who will make her fourth career start in Thursday's 4TH race at

Churchill Downs.

Sky High Lady was pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, but

Casse opted to run her in a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs on October

30 when it seemed unlikely that she would draw into the Breeders' Cup race from

its list of also-eligibles. After breaking slowly, Sky High Lady raced wide and

finished third as the 9-5 favorite. The Sky Mesa chestnut was fourth in the

Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine prior to that one.

"She always breaks slow and that is one of the reasons she got beat in the

stake," Casse said. "Hopefully she'll break better Thursday and I think she'll

really like going two turns. The race over the track should also help her."

Sky High Lady is the 8-5 morning-line favorite for Thursday's race.