After 10 Years With Mark Casse, Nicholas Tomlinson Is Ready To Move On

[Wandering Eyes]

It's not that Nicholas Tomlinson didn't have a great job. He worked for Mark Casse for 10 years, learned from the dual Hall of Famer and was around some of his best horses. But he had always wanted to see what he could do on his own and Saturday at Gulfstream will begin the next chapter in his career.

That chapter starts when he send out Insolenta (More Than Ready), who is owned by Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC and Tiger Racing, Inc, in a $17,500 maiden claimer. He knows he needs more horses and better horses but he is up for the challenge.

“As Mark would always say, never be afraid to try new things,” said the 31-year-old horsemen.

Tomlinson's start in racing began when he approached Casse and said he wanted a job. Casse was immediately impressed.

“It's Interesting, I can still remember the day he came up to me at Keeneland and he said to me that he would like to come join our team,” Casse said. “I came home and told my wife Tina that I met a really nice young man and I think he will do some really good things.  And he has. He's been a big part of our success. Hard worker, honest guy, good horsemen and he's been around a lot of our good horses over the years, so he knows that difference between the good ones and the bad ones. I think that's very important. He's a very good horseman.”

Said Jon Green, who is the general manager DJ Stable, one of Casse's biggest owners: “I know for over a decade Nick worked tirelessly for Mark and certainly ran a great shedrow. I think he will turn out to be one of the up-and-coming stars of the industry.”

While with Casse, the personable Tomlinson went just about everywhere, Saratoga, Churchill, Palm Meadows, Colonial Downs, Gulfstream, Ocala. Each stop was part of his education under one of the sport's best trainers.

“What haven't I learned from Mark?” he said. “Not only have I learned a lot professionally, I have learned a lot of life lessons from him. I'm very grateful for everything I've been able to accomplish the last 10 years working for him. It's been a fantastic ride.”

Tomlinson will start off slow. Insolenta is his only horse. But he is already formulating plans as to how he can expand his stable.

“I'll be at Gulfstream and I really want to try to use the winter there to try to pick up some clients,” he said. “The hardest part when you go on your own is that if you start in April a lot of people will try to send you 2-year-olds. If you're lucky, it will be six weeks before they make the races. Being 2-year-olds, sometimes they need a little more time. I was really hoping to start off with some older horse and try to get going that way, Then, hopefully, by the spring I'll be ready for 2-year-old and more clients.”

He is not looking for any business from Casse's stable of owners.

“A lot of my connections are through Mark and obviously his owners are extremely loyal to them as they should be,” Tomlison said. “He does a phenomenal job. But I'm hoping with some more exposure I'll be able to accumulate some more clients. Hopefully, getting the word out will help. I'm trying to use this time to build.”

He plans to attend the Nov. 12 Horses of Racing Age Sale at Keeneland to, hopefully, pick up new clients and add some horses to his stable.

“I will try to my best to get up there,” he said. “I want to meet some new people and, hopefully, pick up some clients.”

He is also in the process of creating his own website. He knows it's all about getting exposure and getting the word out.

Going out on your own is never easy, especially when it means that you have to leave a good job like the one he had with Casse.

“I'm ready,” he said.

There's no doubt the game  needs more young and ambitious trainers like Tomlinson. With the sport dominated with “super trainers,” like Casse, it's hard for a new face to break in. Racing needs fresh blood and ambitious trainers who are prepared to build from scratch.

Tomlinson checks all the boxes. This may not be easy, but he is prepared to deal with some slow times before he builds up his stable. For him, it all starts Saturday at Gulfstream.

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