Mark E. Casse

Mark E. Casse (born February 14, 1961) is a Thoroughbred racehorse trainer whose most notable horses include 2015 American champion turf mare Tepin and Canadian Horses of the Year Sealy Hill, Uncaptured (2012), Lexie Lou (2014), Catch A Glimpse (2015) and Wonder Gadot. He has won thirteen Sovereign Awards for outstanding trainer in Canada and has been the leading trainer at Woodbine Racetrack 14 times. In 2019, he won his first American Classic with War of Will in the Preakness Stakes.

Background Casse was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on February 14, 1961, At age eight, Casse accompanied his father to the spring meet of the original Woodbine Racetrack. In 1973, father and son traveled to Churchill Downs and saw Secretariat win the 1973 Kentucky Derby. Although they spend much of the year at Woodbine Racetrack in Canada, their home base is Moonshadow Farm in Florida.

Racing career Casse started to run his father's training operation in 1976 at the age of 15 His first stakes winner was Amalie, who won the 1979 Indian Maid at Sportsman’s Park. He won the trainer's title at the Churchill Downs Spring meet of 1988, and also won four training titles at Turfway Park. He was Calumet Farm's private trainer for two years.

In the 1990s, Casse became the private trainer of Harry Mangurian and ran Mockingbird Farm, Casse earned his 1,000th win on August 9, 2008, at Woodbine with Laragh. He also earned his first Grade I win since 2001 when Pool Play won the Stephen Foster Stakes at odds of 36–1. In 2012, Casse ranked 7th in North America by trainer earnings. On July 6, 2014, Casse scored his first victory in the Queen's Plate, Canada's premier race, with filly Lexie Lou. She was later named Canadian Horse of the Year while Casse won his seventh Sovereign Award. Casse would finish the year ranked #6 in North America by earnings. That year, Casse was the #4 ranked trainer in North America by earnings. Other major graded stakes winners included World Approval, Lexie Lou, Kaigun, Catch A Glimpse, Noble Bird and Pretty City Dancer. On May 14, he won his 2,000th race at Gulfstream Park, even though he himself was located at Woodbine at the time. "It's a great testimony to our team, which I'm very proud of," said Casse. At the 2016 Breeders' Cup, Classic Empire established himself as a leading contender for the 2017 Kentucky Derby by winning the Juvenile.

In 2016, Casse was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

On November 19, 2020, Casse won his 3,000th race with Souper Watson at Gulfstream Park West (formerly Calder Race Course). On July 17, 2025, he secured his 4,000th career victory at Colonial Downs with It's Witchcraft.