Inside the World of Thoroughbred Racing with Justin Casse
For Justin Casse, the world of thoroughbred racing extends far beyond the pageantry of the racetrack. As one of the industry’s most trusted advisors, he works with some of the world’s wealthiest families, guiding them through the high-stakes business of acquiring thoroughbreds, negotiating purchases, developing breeding strategies, and managing racing portfolios. Born into one of racing’s most celebrated dynasties, Justin has forged his own reputation as a leading bloodstock agent, earning the trust of elite owners, breeders, and investors around the world through a combination of expertise, instinct, and an ability to recognize potential before others do. Yet his work is about more than financial stakes and exceptional horses; he is also a dedicated advocate for mental health and wellness and a strong believer in responsible ownership and lifelong thoroughbred aftercare. We sat down with Justin to talk about growing up in racing, trusting his instincts, working behind the scenes of this extraordinary industry, and the horses and experiences that have shaped his journey.
Miami Living (ML): You grew up in a family so deeply connected to thoroughbred racing. What was it like growing up in that world, and when did you realize that it was something you wanted to build a career in yourself?
It was really all I’d ever known because it’s a lifestyle. Everywhere my family has lived over the past 65 years has been in a horse racing community, whether near a racetrack or a horse sales venue. It was simply my normal.
That being said, it wasn’t until I was about 20 that I realized I had a genuine interest in making a career of it. Watching my brother capture his first Grade One race—the highest level of the sport—really sparked something in me. As excited as I was for his success, I remember thinking, What would it feel like to achieve something like that myself? At that point I was ready to drop out of college and start working, but my parents weren’t having any of that.
ML: You work with some of the world’s wealthiest families, helping them navigate everything from buying horses to building racing and breeding portfolios. What does a typical day look like for you when you’re in the middle of a busy stretch of work?
I attend more than 20 horse auctions a year across three continents, so between the sales themselves and the travel, that easily takes up half my year. At an auction, I’m inspecting horses and game-planning which ones I’ll bid on. That involves discussions with clients about budgets, coordinating veterinary work and ultimately deciding what each horse is worth to us.
When the sales aren’t going on, I act as a liaison between owners and the people caring for and training their horses. I’m checking on how the horses are progressing, their well-being, which races we’re targeting and answering whatever questions owners may have. I also own nearly 100 horses myself, so quite often I’m doing the same thing with my own stock.
ML: Part of what makes your work fascinating is that you’re often looking at a young horse and trying to see the athlete it could become years before anyone else can. What is something you notice in a horse that most people simply wouldn’t know to look for?
Judging young horses is a craft you learn through experience. It’s obviously a tremendous advantage to have knowledgeable predecessors willing to teach you, but mistakes can sometimes be the greatest teacher.
Physically, you learn to look for athleticism, balance and correctness of conformation. But the one thing you can’t measure is a horse’s willingness—its guts or heart. I’ll often look at a horse several times before deciding whether to try to buy it. Along the way, I pay attention to how it behaves around its caretakers and within the sales environment. Sometimes those little observations can give you an idea of what to expect from a horse mentally, and that can be every bit as important as what you see physically.
ML: You’ve made some remarkably high-stakes decisions over the years, sometimes involving millions of dollars and only moments to decide. Can you take us inside one of those moments when your instinct told you something that the numbers – or everyone around you – didn’t?
The prices unraced horses can bring are sometimes mind-boggling. I’ve paid as much as $2 million for one and as little as $8,000. What constitutes expensive is relative to what each client is trying to achieve.
There have been plenty of occasions when I’ve bought horses that people I respect didn’t like. Sometimes they worked out and sometimes they didn’t. Conversely, there have been horses everyone loved that brought enormous amounts of money and never worked out.
One thing I always keep in mind is that when you’re the winning bidder on an unraced horse, you are effectively the only person in that auction arena who thought the horse was worth that amount of money. There’s something both humbling and exciting about that. Ultimately, you have to trust your own judgment and be willing to live with the result.
ML: You’ve also made thoroughbred aftercare part of the way you do business, contributing to accredited programs for every horse you purchase. Was there a particular horse or experience that changed the way you think about what our responsibility to a thoroughbred should look like after its racing career is over?
When I was young, the first horse I really followed—and probably my first favorite horse—was a colt named Ferdinand. He won the Kentucky Derby in 1986, the year before I attended my first Derby, and I had seen him race in person as a kid.
After his racing career he went to stud and was eventually sold to Japan. Years later, it was reported that he had been sent to an abattoir. A lot of people were deeply upset by what happened, and his story became an important catalyst for greater awareness of thoroughbred aftercare.
That stayed with me. Today, in America and other racing jurisdictions, we have much more developed programs dedicated to caring for these horses after their racing careers. I think those of us who make our living from them have a responsibility to support that.
ML: Your career has given you a front-row seat to nearly every stage of a thoroughbred’s journey, from breeding and the early evaluation of a young horse to the sales ring and, eventually, the racetrack. Which stage do you find yourself most drawn to, and what do you enjoy about being there?
Every sector of the industry has its peaks and valleys, and being in any one of them for too long can become a little tiresome. It’s certainly never boring—there’s always another sale, race or event on the horizon—but being on the road for half the year can take its toll.
Oddly enough, I think I’m most drawn to the relative simplicity of mornings at the racetrack. Training usually starts around 5:00 a.m., and there’s a solitude and routine to it that I really enjoy. You’re focused on the horses and the tasks immediately in front of you. It’s the behind-the-scenes grind that most people never see, but it’s really the foundation of everything else we do.
ML: You’ve spoken about the importance of resilience and have become an advocate for mental health and wellness. In an industry where enormous pressure can be hidden behind the glamour, was there a particular experience in your own career that changed the way you think about taking care of yourself?
Life is a constant learning process, especially in this industry. You frequently have to pick yourself up, learn from mistakes or unmet expectations, readjust your sights and stay grounded.
There are so many things that can pull you up and down—winning and losing, injuries, big sales, disappointments and successes. I’ve learned that all of it is fleeting. None of it is permanent, and it’s important not to let either the highs or the lows define you.
There isn’t one particular event I can point to. It’s been more of a continuous series of experiences and opportunities to learn, grow and understand the importance of staying grounded.
ML: After spending so many years in a business that can be both incredibly glamorous and intensely demanding, what part of your life outside of racing has become especially important to you?
It’s become increasingly important for me to cultivate a life outside of the business, because racing is the kind of lifestyle that can hijack every waking breath if you let it. I’ve had to learn the importance of balance and making time to look after myself, both mentally and physically.
When I’m home, I try to work out regularly and make time for things I enjoy—music, concerts, sports and, most importantly, time with my son. Ironically, his main focus right now seems to be horse racing, so apparently getting completely away from it is easier said than done.
Stay connected with Justin by following him on IG @j.e.casse.