Casse's Casson crowned in King Corrie Stakes
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Toronto, May 17, 2026— King’s Plate nominee Casson overcame a troubled start and cruised home a comfortable winner in Sunday’s $100,000 King Corrie Stakes at Woodbine.
Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Rafael Hernandez, the grey/roan son of Caravaggio was bumped at the break but recovered to gain an outside stalking position in 4th, through an opening quarter-mile in 22.71.
Highwaytothemoon and Impulsive Bid, both recent winners at the local meet, battled into the turn with Highwaytothemoon leading inside, by a head through an opening half-mile in 45.59.
Hernandez and Casson teamed to win the 2025 Victoria Stakes and were reunited for the first time since winning that event last July. Mid-turn, Hernandez gave his colt the cue to go after the leaders. At the top of the stretch, Highwaytothemoon had put away Impulsive Bid, as Casson closed three-wide, engaged the leader and edged past, going on to score in the 7-furlong dash for 3-year-olds, by 1 and ½ lengths.
Owned by Manfred and Penny Conrad and bred in Ontario by Ballycroy Training Centre and Villa Rosa Farms, Casson was a $200,000 yearling purchase at the Keeneland September 2024 sale. He broke his maiden at Woodbine at first asking winning a 4 and half furlong sprint by 4 lengths under recently retired local legend Patrick Husbands. Next out, Hernandez took the call in the Victoria Stakes, which the paired teamed up to win by 2 and ½ lengths.
Their trip in the Victoria resembled Sunday’s King Corrie, which Hernandez admitted wasn’t in the game plan.
“He break a step slow. I thought I’d be more forward, but he relaxed good. He do his thing you know, He don’t get panicked between horses. He just went around and do his thing.”
When reached after the race, 3-time King’s Plate winning trainer Casse said his pupil was extremely professional, despite running on his wrong lead in the stretch.
“I think this horse has distance limitations,” said Casse.
“He also really likes the grass. If I were to continue to the Plate, we might look at the Marine (Grade 3- June 27th).
Last September, Casson led in the Bet365 Grade 1-Summer Stakes before finishing 6th, beaten 3 and ¾ lengths. He began his 2026 campaign at Gulfstream, launching a mild rally to finish 4th, in the Texas Glitter Stakes, a race scheduled for turf, but contested over the local synthetic surface.
Casson was the morning line 2-1 favourite. He went postward at odds of 3-5 and returned $3.50 for the win.
Fellow King’s Plate nominees Reload Raleigh finished 3rd, while 2025 Coronation Futurity winner Fire and Wine finished 6th in the field of 7.
Phil McSween, Woodbine
