Casino Drive (Japanese: カジノドライヴ, Hepburn: Kajino Doraivu; March 7, 2005 − August 5, 2019) was an American thoroughbred racehorse and breeding stallion.
Background Casino Drive was sired by 2003 United States Horse of the Year Mineshaft, out of the broodmare Better Than Honour, making him a half-brother to 2006 Belmont Stakes winner Jazil, and a three-quarter brother to 2007 Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches.
Purchased for $950,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sales and shipped to Japan by owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto, he was unraced until he was three years old.
Racing career 2008: Three-year-old season Casino Drive made his debut in February on dirt at Kyoto, winning by 11 lengths under Yutaka Take.From Japan, With Genes to Capture the Belmont - New York Times
Following his maiden win, he was shipped to the United States where, in his second career start, he won the Grade II Peter Pan Stakes by 5 lengths. He was ridden by Kent Desormeaux, rider of 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown.
Casino Drive was scratched from the Belmont and unable to run due to a stone bruise to his left rear hoof.Daily Racing Form: News Login/Access Your Account
After a lengthy wait for his return after the Belmont, Casino Drive was started in an allowance race in the fall season to qualify for the Breeders' Cup Classic, easily beating the field. Expected to give a good run for the $5 million Classic, Casino Drive, unbeaten in his three previous starts, was last after setting the pace mid-race. He ended his 2008 campaign with a 6th-place finish in the Japan Cup Dirt. The winner Kane Hekili, won his second Japan Cup Dirt title.
2009: Four-year-old season Casino Drive's first race of the 2009 season was the Alexandrite Stakes, an allowance race for four-year-olds and above. He was the heavy favorite to win, with odds of 1.2 compared to the second favorite, Dreamy Pegasus, odd's of 6.5. Casino Drive held a strong position throughout the entire race, and won with a margin of lengths.
For his next start, Casino Drive entered the 2009 February Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse over 1600m. Casino Drive finished in 2nd place, a neck behind the upset winner Success Brocken and a head in front of the favorite Kane Hekili.
His final race of the year was the 2009 Dubai World Cup. Casino Drive had a disappointing showing, placing 8th with no challenge to the leader, Well Armed, who won by 14 lengths.
After the Dubai World Cup it was discovered that Casino Drive had developed flexor tendonitis in his front leg, and it was announced that he would undergo surgery. Therefore, he would not race in 2010.
2011: Six-year-old season Casino Drive had three starts in his six-year-old season and failed to win any races. His first start was on March 6 at the Nigawa Stakes over 2000m on dirt, where he finished a disappointing ninth place as the second favorite.
His next race was the Akhalteke Stakes on May 1. Casino Drive finished a head behind the second place runner, Toho Orvis, to place third.
Under a month later on May 29, Casino Drive started in the final race of his career, the Tsubasa Sho. Despite placing eighth, Casino Drive finished only 0.2 seconds behind the winner, Toho Orvis, due to the fact that first eight horses finished very close to one another.
Statistics The following table is based on information from netkeiba for Japanese races, and Equibase for American races. DateTrackRaceGradeDistanceFieldOdds (Favorite)FinishTimeMargin (Winning)JockeyWinner (2nd place)2008 – Three-year-old seasonFebruary 23KyotoDebut1800m131.2 (1)1st1:54.4(10+ lengths)Yutaka Take(Copano Akochan)May 10Belmont Peter Pan StakesG21800m91.25 (1)1st1:47.87( lengths)Kent Desormeaux(Mint Lane)October 12Santa AnitaAllowance StakesAlw1700m70.4 (1)1st1:42.14( length)Victor Espinoza(Dakota Phone)October 25Santa AnitaBreeders' Cup ClassicG12000m129.9 (4)12th1:59.2721 lengthsVictor EspinozaRaven's PassDecember 7Hanshin Japan Cup DirtG11800m157.1 (3)6th1:49.2 lengthsKatsumi AndoKane Hekili2009 – Four-year-old seasonJanuary 24Nakayama Alexandrite StakesAlw1800m111.2 (1)1st1:49.9( lengths)Katsumi Ando(Daiwa Rubia)February 22TokyoFebruary StakesG11600m165.0 (3)2nd1:34.6neckKatsumi AndoSuccess BrockenMarch 28Nad Al ShebaDubai World CupG12000m144.0 (2)8th2:01.0127 lengthsKatsumi AndoWell Armed2011– Six-year-old seasonMarch 6HanshinNigawa StakesOpen2000m144.0 (2)9th2:05.6 lengthsShinji FujitaWonder AcuteMay 1TokyoAkhalteke StakesOpen1400m164.1 (2)3rd1:24.3 lengthsKatsumi AndoBright IsaacMay 29TokyoTsubasa ShoOpen1400m162.5 (1)8th1:23.9 lengthKatsumi AndoToho Orvis
Stud career Casino Drive retired and stood stud at Shadai Stallion Station in 2011. Some of his progeny include:
c = colt, g = gelding FoaledNameSexMajor Wins2013VengeancecMiyako Stakes, Sannomiya Stakes, Tempozan Stakes, Polaris Stakes2016Casino FountaincKawasaki Kinen (twice)2017Meisho KazusacProcyon Stakes, Urawa Kinen, Hakusan Daishoten2013Drive KnightgSubaru Stakes, Kibune Stakes, Hakobera Sho Casino Drive died on August 5, 2019, but his death was not officially announced until the Japanese Studbook updated their database in March 2020.
In popular culture An anthropomorphized version of Casino Drive appears in Umamusume: Pretty Derby, voiced by Aimi, as a non-playable supporting character. She features in the "Beyond Dreams" training scenario, which involves players preparing their trainee Umamusume to compete overseas at the Breeders' Cup (in addition to their story careers).
Pedigree
External links Pedigree and Partial Stats Casino Drive AlexBrownRacing
References