Exciting 2-Year-Old Rhyme Schemes Rolls at Ellis Park

Pura Vida Investments' Rhyme Schemes stamped himself as one of the top active 2-year-olds in Kentucky with a 9 1/2-length romp in a maiden special weight contest June 15 at Ellis Park. Trained by Norm Casse and ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Rhyme Schemes completed 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.82, just.51 off the track record set by Spycraft in 2021. Rhyme Schemes' victory, coming following a debut sixth at Churchill Downs last month, earned a stout 86 Equibase Speed Rating. "We've gone about training our 2-year-olds a little bit differently this year than previous years," Casse said. "This was Rhyme Schemes' second start and we haven't really cranked up any of our 2-year-olds going into their debut. We've been using their first start to build on their fitness. So, it was extremely impressive the way this horse won. We added blinkers for his second start and they seemed to help a lot as well." Rhyme Schemes was purchased from the Paramount Sales consignment at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $210,000 by Casse's client and bloodstock advisor Deuce Greathouse for Pura Vida. Some of the top horses on Greathouse's resume that he selected includes Tepin, Shedaresthedevil, and Southlawn. The Parks Investment Group-bred Rhyme Schemes is a son of Ghostzapper out of the Distorted Humor mare Katherine. Casse stated the $225,000 Bashford Manor Stakes July 2 at Ellis Park could be an option for Rhyme Schemes' next start.