Tracker Jacker, who sold for an auction-record $525,000 at the OBS June 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age sale, is scheduled to arrive from Ocala at trainer Mark Casse's barn at Churchill Downs June 21.
The colt from the first crop of Pioneerof the Nile was one of six horses bought by the sale's leading buyer, Ernie Semersky and Dory Newell's Conquest Stables.
"We liked his looks, how he went, and his pedigree," Casse said of the June 19 purchase. "We liked everything about him."
Casse advised on a total of eight purchases at the sale and said five of them will join his string at Churchill Downs.
"When you spend that kind of money, you're looking for a Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks-type horse, Casse said. "That's one of the reasons they're going to Churchill. You can't do enough training there and we love Churchill because it's a safe track and is good for young horses."
Casse said Tracker Jacker and the other purchases could debut during Churchill Downs' new meet in September.
"One or two could be ready before and we'd run at Arlington or Woodbine or Ellis, but we are looking at September," Casse said. "We'll have horses at Churchill and Arlington this summer and we'll send the occasional horse to Saratoga, but we're not going to have a string there this year."
Via phone from his barn at Arlington Park, Casse said he will be at Churchill June 21 to saddle Conquest Stables' Conquest Two Step for his debut in the fourth race. A 2-year-old colt by Two Step Salsa , Conquest Two Step was purchased at the OBS April Sale for $420,000.
Mark Casse will train Tracker Jacker, who sold for an auction-record $525,000.
