Casa Creed surges late to win the $500,000 Fourstardave S. (G1)

Casa Creed came from last to first in the Saratoga stretch to win Saturday’s Fourstardave S. (G1) by 1 ½-lengths over Regal Glory. This marked the second Grade 1 win, and four graded stakes overall, for the 6-year-old son of Jimmy Creed.

Casa Creed is the third stakes winner this month for Jimmy Creed, whose progeny have banked more than $3.6 million in 2022.

Coming off a win in the six-furlong Jaipur S. (G1), Casa Creed drew post 1 for the one-mile Fourstardave. He was taken back early and trailed the somewhat strung-out field of five through a half-mile in :47.94. The quintet began to bunch up going into the final bend, leaving Casa Creed no option but to go very wide for clear running into the stretch. He was still fourth with a furlong to go, then with an explosive turn of foot, stormed past his foes to win full of run in 1:34.20 on the firm turf.

His Beyer Speed Figure of 103 was his fourth career triple-digit figure.

“He’s in great form and won two Grade I’s since coming back [from Dubai], so scrap that theory that they can’t travel and do good,” winning Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said.

“We’ve always felt he was capable of going a mile and I think it’s a matter of getting his run timed properly and having the right trip, and he did it today,” Mott added when asked about the possibility of running in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). “He’s run good races at a mile before and got very good speed figures.”

Casa Creed is owned by LRE Racing LLC and JEH Racing Stable. Saturday’s win upped his earnings to $1,703,308 and record to 7-4-4 from 27 starts.

Bred by Sliver Springs Stud, LLC, Casa Creed is out of Achalaya, an unraced daughter of four-time graded winner Wild Heart Dancing. Achalaya is the dam of Jimmy Creed’s 2-year-old half-brother by Distorted Humor, a yearling by Omaha Beach and a filly by Horse of the Year Authentic.