# Casino Drive

Casino Drive (foaled March 7, 2005 in Kentucky, died August 5, 2019) is an American thoroughbred racehorse.

## 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

Casino Drive made his debut in February on the turf at Kyoto, winning by 111⁄2 lengths under Yutaka Take.
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 53⁄4 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.
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.

## Stud career

Casino Drive retired and stood stud at Shadai Stallion Station in 2011. His most successful crop was Casino Fountain [ja], who won the Kawasaki Kinen and Kashiwa Kinen in 2021.
Casino Drive passed away on August 5, 2019, but his death was not officially announced until the Japanese Studbook updated their database in March 2020.

## Pedigree

Pedigree of Casino Drive :
| Sire Mineshaft 1999 dk.b. | A.P. Indy 1989 dk.b. | Seattle Slew | Bold Reasoning |
| Sire Mineshaft 1999 dk.b. | A.P. Indy 1989 dk.b. | Seattle Slew | My Charmer |
| Sire Mineshaft 1999 dk.b. | A.P. Indy 1989 dk.b. | Weekend Surprise | Secretariat |
| Sire Mineshaft 1999 dk.b. | A.P. Indy 1989 dk.b. | Weekend Surprise | Lassie Dear |
| Sire Mineshaft 1999 dk.b. | Prospectors Delite 1989 b. | Mr. Prospector | Raise a Native |
| Sire Mineshaft 1999 dk.b. | Prospectors Delite 1989 b. | Mr. Prospector | Gold Digger |
| Sire Mineshaft 1999 dk.b. | Prospectors Delite 1989 b. | Up the Flagpole | Hoist the Flag |
| Sire Mineshaft 1999 dk.b. | Prospectors Delite 1989 b. | Up the Flagpole | The Garden Club |
| Dam Better Than Honour 1996 b. | Deputy Minister 1979 dk.b. | Vice Regent | Northern Dancer |
| Dam Better Than Honour 1996 b. | Deputy Minister 1979 dk.b. | Vice Regent | Victoria Regina |
| Dam Better Than Honour 1996 b. | Deputy Minister 1979 dk.b. | Mint Copy | Bunty's Flight |
| Dam Better Than Honour 1996 b. | Deputy Minister 1979 dk.b. | Mint Copy | Shakney |
| Dam Better Than Honour 1996 b. | Blush with Pride 1979 ch. | Blushing Groom | Red God |
| Dam Better Than Honour 1996 b. | Blush with Pride 1979 ch. | Blushing Groom | Runaway Bride |
| Dam Better Than Honour 1996 b. | Blush with Pride 1979 ch. | Best In Show | Traffic Judge |
| Dam Better Than Honour 1996 b. | Blush with Pride 1979 ch. | Best In Show | Stolen Hour |