$150,000 Year's End Stakes

West Point Thoroughbreds’ Counting Stars capped a monster Saturday at Oaklawn for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse with an eye-catching victory in the $150,000 Year’s End Stakes.

The one-mile Year’s End for fillies was the centerpiece of Oaklawn’s fourth-annual card exclusively for 2-year-olds. After two maiden special weight victories earlier on the 10-race program, Casse struck again in the Year’s End as Counting Stars, the 6-5 favorite, rolled to a six-length victory in her two-turn debut under Francisco Arrieta.

Wheeled back in 13 days, Counting Stars ($4.40) became the first two-time stakes winner this season at Oaklawn. Counting Stars was a four-length winner of the inaugural $135,000 Astral Spa Stakes at six furlongs Dec. 14. Counting Stars was a supplemental nominee to the Year’s End.

Newtown Pike, racing in blinkers for the first time, finished second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Scot’s Law. Paving, who was previously unbeaten in two starts, finished fourth, followed, in order, by Authentic Cat, Copper Wind, Kaboom, Fizzy Lass and Sticker Shocked.

Counting Stars, who broke from post 8, was a forward factor from the start. She seized command with a three-wide move on the second turn and drew off through the stretch. The winning time over a fast track was 1:38.68.

A $150,000 OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in training graduate, Counting Stars won for the third time in four starts to raise her earnings to $230,606.

Casse said Counting Stars, a daughter of Honor A. P., would be pointed to the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 31. The 1 1/16-mile Martha Washington is Oaklawn’s first of three qualifying races for the Kentucky Oaks, the country’s biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies.

Racing resumes Sunday at 12:30 p.m. CST, with 10 races highlighted by the inaugural $135,000 Oaklawn Anywhere Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters.

YEAR’S END QUOTES

WINNING JOCKEY FRANCISCO ARRIETA (COUNTING STARS): “They did a great job bringing her (back) in 13 days in great shape. She just carried me all over and did it all. I’m just so happy to be here, get this win. I want to thank Mark (Casse) and the owners – all the team – for the opportunity. Because she’s been running short, I thought she was going to be more forward. I was a little bit worried about it. We had more speed in the race. But, luckily, I was outside and she relaxed. She started pulling early. I let her go a little bit, going easy, and she did it all. She finished strong.”

WINNING TRAINER MARK CASSE VIA PHONE (COUNTING STARS): “She was wide, which you never want to be, but she was on her game today. Hopefully coming back and getting a route race under her, she may settle a little. If she’s going to beat good horses down the road, if she’s going to be a tip-top horse, she’s going to have to learn to settle a little. But that should come with some racing.”

NOTE: Casse said Counting Stars will be pointed to the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 31 at Oaklawn.