Casino Drive Overwhelms Competition in the Peter Pan Stakes
No-one has more faith in Casino Drive, than his owner, Hidetoshi Yamamoto, and his trainer, Kazuo Fujisawa. Together, they have carefully and slowly nurtured the yearling, which Yamamoto purchased in 2006, for $950 000. Casino Drive arrived in United States from Japan on the 30th of April, not only to make his American debut but to get a training race in, before the Belmont Stakes. And while Casino Drive was enjoying his second start to his racing career and first horse racing event in over two months, spectators were astonished and in disbelief, as the chestnut comfortably glided across the finish line.
On the 23rd of February 2008 Fujisawa debuted Casino Drive in a racing event in Kyoto, which Casino Drive won effortlessly. They decided to enter him into a second race, before traveling to America, but their plans were railroaded with the outbreak of influenza in Japan. Casino Drive was forced to be quarantined and had to await a clear bill of health, before being permitted to travel.
It is Casino Drive’s racing pedigree that both owner and trainer were counting on, for him to perform well in the Peter Pan Stakes, and it paid off. Casino Drive was sired by Mineshaft. Mineshaft went into retirement in 2003 and was born out of A.P. Indy (son of Seattle Slew) and Prospectors Delight (daughter of Mr. Prospector). His dam on the other hand, Better Than Honour, was sired by Deputy Minister, making him the half brother of Belmont Stakes winners, Jazil and Rags to Riches.
Casino Drive was guided to glory by jockey, Kent Desormeaux, followed by Mint Lane, Ready’s Echo, Golden Spikes, Cosmic, Spark Candle, Tomcito, Deputyville and Fast Talking. If Big Brown wins the Preakness Stakes, Casino Drive will have to settle for another jockey, as Kent Desormeaux will most definitely be partnered up with the racing powerhouse for the Belmont Stakes.
With the magnificent performance delivered by Casino Drive at the Peter Pan Stakes, it has been said, that if Kentucky Derby winner, Big Brown, manages to win the Preakness Stakes, and moves on to the Belmont Stakes to try and clench the Triple Crown status, that Casino Drive might be the horse to challenge those goals. While most regard Big Brown to be unstoppable, Casino drive has the pedigree, and proven ability to also become a Belmont Stakes winner. Trainer and owner of Casino Drive are not pinning their hopes on anything, or making any predictions. All they are aiming for is that Casino Drive has a good run, performs well and comes home safely.
