By Mike Kane
Understanding Tepin (Bernstein), trainer Mark Casse said, led to her becoming a champion last year. Ever on the lookout for signals from Robert Masterson's 5-year-old mare, Casse announced Friday that she would not run against males in the GI Fourstardave S. Aug. 13. at Saratoga Race Course.
After his Ancient Warfare (Quality Road) won the opener Saturday, Casse said that even though Tepin looked good in the morning, she may not have fully recovered from her trip to England in June, where she won the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot. Tepin had her first post-Ascot work June 22 at Saratoga and in the days that followed, Casse decided not to send her out for another breeze this weekend and scrapped the plan for the Fourstardave.
“Tepin is funny,” he said. “When Tepin is happy she eats mints. She eats her treats. We know her and she's not been herself. She was doing fine and I don't know if maybe once we put a little work into her she said, 'Hey guys, I'm more tired than I've let on to be.'”
Casse figured it was better to hit the pause button and explain what was going on.
“I knew that everybody was expecting us to breeze today for us to run in the Fourstardave,” he said. “I don't want everybody thinking she's going to run. I'm very willing to put it out there. I didn't want anyone to get their hopes up. We have friends who said, 'Oh, we're coming to watch Tepin run,' and I didn't want to do that.
“I had a great conversation with Mr. Masterson today. He's a big sportsman. He said, 'Mark, I know I don't have to say this and I know I don't have to tell you, but if Tepin never runs another day in her life she owes us nothing.' I said, 'Robert, I know that and I'm going to tell you that the day Tepin says she doesn't want to run anymore is the day she won't run anymore.'”
That said, Casse isn't suggesting that the end is near. Tepin has won seven in a row since two narrow losses at Saratoga last summer, including the GI Breeders' Cup Mile and the Queen Anne. She showed promise as a 2-year-old, but was winless in four starts as a 3-year-old. Last year, a different Tepin emerged.
“Tepin is so dear to us in so many ways,” Casse said. “Tepin didn't start out as a great horse, she became a great horse. I'm very proud of that.”
The key to the changeover, he said, was something simple, but not always easy to accomplish.
“We listened when she talked to us,” Casse said, smiling. “When she said this is enough, we said OK.”
Casse heard and saw enough last week to make him take the Fourstardave out of consideration. He liked that race because it is a new Grade I this year and the timing was better to get the mare to the GI Woodbine Mile Sept. 17. The GII Ballston Spa Aug. 27 is a possibility. Maybe she will make the Woodbine Mile, but maybe not.
“Now, I have to do some rearranging,” he said. “The priority is getting her to the Breeders' Cup. I don't know because right now she is day to day. Honestly, I'm not even worried about anything. Right now, I'm just worried about seeing Tepin back happy. When she's happy we'll figure it out.”
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