Casse goes for repeat in Pasco Stakes

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Oldsmar, FL (Sports Network) - The central Florida route to the Triple Crown commences Saturday with the $100,000 Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. A total of 10 3-year-olds have been entered for the seven-furlong stakes.

The Pasco is the first of three stakes conducted at Tampa Bay for Kentucky Derby hopefuls. Coming up on Feb. 2 will be the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes followed by the $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby on March 9.

Prospective won both the Pasco and Tampa Bay Derby last year with a second- place finish in the Sam F. Davis Stakes. Street Sense won the 2007 Tampa Bay Derby along with the Kentucky Derby while three years later, Super Saver captured the Run for the Roses after finishing third in the Tampa Bay Derby.

Prospective's owner, John Oxley, and trainer, Mark Casse, have Dynamic Sky in the Pasco along with Sky Commander. Dynamic Sky will be ridden by Luis Contreras from post three with Patrick Husbands on Sky Commander and breaking from the far outside post. The two horses will be coupled as an entry.

Dynamic Sky closed out his 2-year-old season with a sixth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov, 3. His 2012 began with a third in the Vandal Stakes at Woodbine and he broke his maiden in Toronto by taking the Simcoe Stakes. Four weeks prior to the Juvenile, the colt finished second in the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland.

With his four stakes as a 2-year-old, Dynamic Star has earned $218,115 with a win, a second and a third.

Sky Commander has one win and a third in five starts for $47,407. He won for the first time at Woodbine in October in his fourth try. The colt is coming off an eighth-place finish in Canada in the Display Stakes on Dec. 1.

Here is the complete field for the Pasco in post position order: Mind Spell, Daniel Centeno; Falling Sky, Paco Lopez; Dynamic Sky, Luis Contreras; Lightning Stone, Daniel Coa; Purple Egg, Joe Rocco Jr.; Silver Day, Martin Pedroza; O T B Bob, Fernando De La Cruz; Divine Ambition, Willie Martinez; Hard to Name, Angel Serpa and Sky Commander, Patrick Husbands.

Post-time for the Pasco is scheduled for 4:57 p.m. (ET).