Casse and Reddam win as Canadians enjoy big weekend at Breeders’ Cup

American Pharoah stole the show, but it was also a bountiful weekend for Canadians at the Breeders’ Cup.

While the Triple Crown champion captured the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Woodbine-based trainer Mark Casse won his first two races at horse racing’s biggest event at Keeneland Racecourse while Canadian ex-pat owner J. Paul Reddam picked up another big trophy.

Casse, who broke his 0 for 25 Breeders’ Cup drought with Catch a Glimpse’s victory in the Juvenile Fillies Turf on Friday, added the Mile Saturday with Tepin.

The 4-year-old Tepin captured first place in the US$2-million race with a commanding run under jockey Julien Leparoux in a race typically dominated by international horses.

“This was sweet,” Casse said afterwards.

Ex-pat Canadian owner J. Paul Reddam won the $2-million Juvenile on Saturday with Nyquist, the 2-year-old named after Detroit Red Wings star Gustav Nyquist.

Nyquist immediately became the Kentucky Derby favourite as a result of his victory.

“When is the Derby?” Reddam said. “Some people doubted that this horse would really stretch out, and I think he proved today beyond a doubt that he will.”

Nyquist has the same owner in Reddam and trainer in Doug O’Neill as I’ll Have Another, the horse that won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 2012 before being scratched from the Belmont Stakes.

— With files from the Associated Press