Casino Drive
Encyclopedia
Casino Drive is an American
thoroughbred
racehorse
. He was sired by 2003 United States Horse of the Year
Mineshaft
, out of the great broodmare Better Than Honour
, making him a half-brother to 2006 Belmont Stakes
winner Jazil
, and a three-quarter brother to 2007 Belmont Stakes
winner, Rags to Riches
.
Purchased for $950,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sales
and shipped to Japan
by owner, Hidetoshi Yamamoto, he was unraced until his three-year-old year. He made his debut in February on the turf at Kyoto
, winning by 11 lengths.
Following his maiden win, he was shipped to the United States where, in his second career start, he won the Grade II
Peter Pan Stakes
by 5 lengths. He was ridden by Kent Desormeaux
, rider of 2008 Kentucky Derby
and Preakness
winner, Big Brown
.
Expected to be hearty competition to Big Brown in the Belmont
, Casino Drive was scratched and unable to run due to a stone bruise to his left rear hoof.
After a lengthy wait for his return after the Belmont
, Casino Drive was started in an allowance race in the fall season to qualify for the Breeders Cup Classic, easily beating the field.
Breeders Cup Classic
Expected to give a good run for the $5 million Classic, Japanese star Casino Drive, unbeaten in his three previous starts, was last after setting the pace mid-race.
Japan Cup Dirt
Casino Drive ended his 2008 campaign with a 6th place finish in the Japan Cup Dirt. The winner Kane Heliki, won his second Japan Cup Dirt title with his victory.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. He was sired by 2003 United States Horse of the Year
Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
The American Award for Horse of the Year is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. It has been awarded since 1887 to the horse, irrespective of age, whose performance during the racing year is deemed the most outstanding....
Mineshaft
Mineshaft (horse)
Mineshaft was a multi-millionaire American thoroughbred racehorse and successful stallion. He was sired by 1992 U.S. Horse of the Year and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee A.P. Indy, who in turn was a son of 1977 U.S. Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. His dam, Prospectors Delite, is by the...
, out of the great broodmare Better Than Honour
Better Than Honour
Better Than Honour is an American thoroughbred mare racehorse, best known for her career as a broodmare. She is out of the Kentucky Oaks winner, Blush With Pride, by the sire, Deputy Minister...
, making him a half-brother to 2006 Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
winner Jazil
Jazil
Jazil is an American Thoroughbred racehorse.In 2006, Jazil dead-heated for fourth place in the Kentucky Derby but then won the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown.- Connections :...
, and a three-quarter brother to 2007 Belmont Stakes
2007 Belmont Stakes
The 2007 Belmont Stakes was the 139th running of the Belmont Stakes. The race was held on June 9, 2007. Rags to Riches won the race by a head over Curlin before a crowd of 46,870, becoming the first filly to win the Belmont since 1905 and to win a Triple Crown race since the 1988 Kentucky...
winner, Rags to Riches
Rags to Riches (horse)
Rags to Riches is an American thoroughbred filly racehorse who in 2007 became the first filly to win the Belmont Stakes in over a century. She was sired by 1992 U.S. Horse of the Year and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee A.P. Indy, who in turn was a son of 1977 U.S...
.
Purchased for $950,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sales
Keeneland Sales
The Keeneland Sales is an American Thoroughbred auction house in Lexington, Kentucky founded in 1935 as a nonprofit racing/auction entity on 147 acres of farmland west of Lexington, which had been owned by Jack O. Keene...
and shipped to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by owner, Hidetoshi Yamamoto, he was unraced until his three-year-old year. He made his debut in February on the turf at Kyoto
Kyoto Racecourse
is located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It is used for horse racing. It has a capacity of 120,000. It was built in 1999. It has 28,000 seats.-Physical attributes:Kyoto Race Course has two turf courses, a dirt course, and a jump course....
, winning by 11 lengths.
Following his maiden win, he was shipped to the United States where, in his second career start, he won the Grade II
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
Peter Pan Stakes
Peter Pan Stakes
The Peter Pan Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. A Grade II event, it is open to three-year-olds willing to race nine furlongs on the dirt....
by 5 lengths. He was ridden by Kent Desormeaux
Kent Desormeaux
Kent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...
, rider of 2008 Kentucky Derby
2008 Kentucky Derby
The 2008 Kentucky Derby was the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 3, 2008 with 157,770 in attendance, the second largest in Derby history. Post time was 6:15 p.m. EDT and was televised in the United States on the NBC television network.Big Brown won the race by nearly...
and Preakness
2008 Preakness Stakes
The 2008 Preakness Stakes was the 133rd running of the Preakness Stakes. The race time was 6:15 pm EDT and was televised in the United States on the NBC television network. Big Brown, the 1-5 favorite, was the winner by 5 lengths over Macho Again...
winner, Big Brown
Big Brown
Big Brown is a retired champion American Thoroughbred racehorse and winner of the 2008 Kentucky Derby and 2008 Preakness Stakes. Bred by Dr. Gary B. Knapp's Monticule Farms in Lexington, Kentucky, he won his first five race starts. He was sired by Grade III winner Boundary, a son of North American...
.
Expected to be hearty competition to Big Brown in the Belmont
2008 Belmont Stakes
The 2008 Belmont Stakes was the 140th running of the Belmont Stakes. The race was won by Da'Tara, who led the race wire to wire. Da'Tara had 38-1 odds, making the win a monumental upset. Big Brown, the favorite who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, finished in last place, a first for any...
, Casino Drive was scratched and unable to run due to a stone bruise to his left rear hoof.
After a lengthy wait for his return after the Belmont
2008 Belmont Stakes
The 2008 Belmont Stakes was the 140th running of the Belmont Stakes. The race was won by Da'Tara, who led the race wire to wire. Da'Tara had 38-1 odds, making the win a monumental upset. Big Brown, the favorite who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, finished in last place, a first for any...
, Casino Drive was started in an allowance race in the fall season to qualify for the Breeders Cup Classic, easily beating the field.
Breeders Cup Classic
Expected to give a good run for the $5 million Classic, Japanese star Casino Drive, unbeaten in his three previous starts, was last after setting the pace mid-race.
Japan Cup Dirt
Casino Drive ended his 2008 campaign with a 6th place finish in the Japan Cup Dirt. The winner Kane Heliki, won his second Japan Cup Dirt title with his victory.