By Esther Marr,
Decisive Rachel Alexandra Stakes (gr. III) winner Untapable will take the next big step along the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) trail when she faces four others in the May 29 Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Five of the last nine Fair Grounds Oaks winners have gone on to victory in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I). Slated as the seventh race on the card, the 1 1/16-mile event for 3-year-old fillies has a post time of 4:15 p.m. CDT.
Untapable, a daughter of Tapit —Fun House, by Prized, headlines the race as the sole graded stakes winner. But she will likely face some tough competition from her other rivals, all consistent winners in their youg careers.
A Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred, Untapable most recently rolled to an exciting 9 1/2-length victory over Got Lucky in the Feb. 22 Rachel Alexandra. Trained by Steve Asmussen, she broke her maiden on her first try at 2 at Churchill Downs, and then came right back to capture the Pocahontas Stakes (gr. II) at the Louisville track.
After being eased and finishing unplaced in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), Untapable returned to good form when third in the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I), beaten just 2 3/4 lengths.
Jockey Rosie Napravnik, who has been aboard for all of Untapable starts with the exception of the Hollywood Starlet, has the call for the Fair Grounds Oaks. The pair will break from the inside post.
Among Untapable's most threatening foes is another daughter of Unbridled's Song, Unbridled Forever. Interestingly, she is trained by Dallas Stewart, who also conditioned her dam, 2006 Kentucky Oaks winner Lemons Forever (by Lemon Drop Kid ).
"She's trained very well for the race; her works have been pristine and right on," said Stewart of the Charles Fipke homebred, who enters the Fair Grounds Oaks off a victory in the Jan. 18 Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds. "She looks like she's doing well and I'm happy with the way she's handled her training and the time off."
Stewart said the spacing between Unbridled Forever's races was simply to promote a "sound and healthy athlete. I won't say she couldn't have run back in the Rachel Alexandra, but we're just trying to space out her races a little bit," he explained.
Unbridled Forever, who broke her maiden on her second try last November at Churchill, will have regular rider Robby Albarado aboard from the outside post.
The Fair Grounds Oaks also includes the late Clarence Scharbauer Jr.'s Fiftyshadesofgold, who was undefeated as a juvenile until victimized by a rough trip in the Adirondack Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course, where she was advanced from fourth to third through a disqualification.
Fiftyshadesofgold returned as a winner this season in the restricted Two Altazano Stakes Feb. 15 at Sam Houston Race Park, scoring by 2 1/2 lengths while less than fully extended.
Rounding out the field is Fox Hill Farms' Mary Rita, a late-developing daughter of Distorted Humor who broke her maiden at Fair Grounds Jan 25 and won an allowance optional claimer there Feb. 21; and Artist Cry, a Louisiana-bred filly who has won all three of her starts this year over Fair Ground's turf course, including the Feb. 15 restricted Sarah Lane's Oates Stakes.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/84023/untapable-headlines-fair-grounds-oaks#ixzz2x8OJhr1p
By Steve Haskin,
A field of only six was drawn for the $300,000 Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap (gr. IIT) at Fair Grounds Racetrack March 29, with one of the notables, Amira's Prince, also entered in the Pan American (gr. IIT) at Gulfstream Park the same day.
The top weight at 122 is Real Solution, trained by Chad Brown and owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who also have the leading contenders in the Pan American in Admiral Kitten and Charming Kitten.
Although his name doesn’t sound like it, 5-year-old Real Solution also is by Kitten's Joy , and if he shows up in his 2014 debut in anywhere near the same form he displayed last summer and early fall, it his highly unlikely he will be beaten.
Brought to the U.S. from Italy after the 2012 season, Real Solution finished third behind Point of Entry in last year's Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (gr. IT) at Belmont Park and then was second under the wire, beaten a head by The Apache, in the Arlington Million (gr. IT) but was placed first on a disqualification. He followed that up with a close third, beaten one length by Little Mike, in the Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont (gr. IT) before disappointing in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. IT), finishing ninth.
With Rosie Napravnik aboard for the first time, Real Solution has been working sharply for his debut, including a bullet 1:00 breeze for five furlongs on the grass at Palm Meadows Training Center.
He will be conceding four to 10 pounds to his rivals, depending on where Amira’s Prince, with 118 pounds, winds up running. His trainer, Bill Mott, has two other horses entered in the Pan American.
Amira’s Prince won last year’s Mervin Muniz following a victory in the Mac Diarmida Stakes (gr. IIT), but did not run the remainder of the year. He returned off a 10-month layoff to finish a solid third in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (gr. IT) Feb. 9. The son of Teofilio drew the rail and will have Mike Smith aboard.
Of the remaining four horses, Potomac River, trained by Jose Canejo, is coming off a 14-1 upset score in the Fair Grounds Handicap (gr. IIIT) by a nose over Muniz opponent Skyring. His biggest win prior to that was in the River City Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs last November. He carries 117 pounds.
Skyring, for the most part, has been outdistanced in his races, but does sneak in a big one once in a while, capturing the Dixie Stakes (gr. IIT) last year and getting beat a nose in the Fair Grounds Handicap, also at 14-1 odds. Joe Rocco will ride under 113 pounds.
Mister Marti Grasis a hard knocker who has run well in a number of stakes in the past two years. He is cross-entered in the New Orleans Handicap (gr. II), also on Saturday's card.
The final horse, Burn the Mortgage, is seven for 25 lifetime, mainly in allowance and high-priced claiming company, but is out-classed in this spot.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/84032/real-solution-faces-only-five-in-mervin-muniz#ixzz2xEEz5vFx
By Frank Angst,
Classic winner Palace Malice will try to keep his fast start to the 2014 season going when he faces an accomplished field as the highweight in the New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) March 29 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Last year's Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner enters Fair Grounds' showcase main-track race for handicap horses off a narrow victory in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II) March 8 at Gulfstream Park.
Dogwood Stable's Palace Malice will have his work cut out for him while packing 121 pounds on Saturday, spotting each of his seven rivals from two to nine pounds. In addition, he will break from the outside in the field of eight. But the 4-year-old son of Curlin figures to improve in his second start of the year as he stretches out to two turns again after taking the one-turn mile Gulfstream Park Handicap by a nose over Golden Ticket.
That victory ended a three-race losing streak that closed out 2013 for Palace Malice. He e continued to race well during that stretch, however, registering a runner-up showing against older horses in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) at Belmont Park, and finishing a close fourth in the Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.
Palace Malice will not be the only New Orleans Handicap starter entering off a strong 4-year-old season debut at Gulfstream as Normandy Invasion also is set for the Fair Grounds test. In his first start since finishing fourth in the 2013 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), Normandy Invasion overwhelmed an allowance field Feb. 22 at Gulfstream, posting a 7 3/4-length score.
In the six dirt races at Gulfstream Feb. 22, Fox Hill Farms' Normandy Invasion was the only winner who did not have the lead at the first call as he rallied from fourth against five rivals to complete the one-turn mile in a track-record time of 1:33.13. Trainer Chad Brown rested Normandy Invasion last year to allow the son of Tapit to heal from a deep abscess in a front foot during the summer.
Other accomplished horses entered in Saturday's race include last year's Derby runner-up Golden Soul, a homebred for Charles Fipke; Joseph Sutton's Bradester, who won the Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III) Feb. 22 at Fair Grounds; and grade III winner Prayer for Relief, who will make his first start for Dale Romans after being moved from trainer Steve Asmussen by owner Ahmed Zayat.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/84022/palace-malice-targets-new-orleans-handicap#ixzz2x8NkRIFN
By Jack Shinar
Intense Holiday has drawn the rail post position as the 2-1 morning line favorite for the $1 million Louisiana Derby (gr. II) March 29 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Trained by Todd Pletcher for Starlight Racing, Intense Holiday already has a major victory in his debut at the New Orleans track, taking the Risen Star Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 22 by a nose over Albano with a superb stretch move under Mike Smith. The $380,000 son of Harlan's Holidaynow advances to the 1 1/8-mile Louisiana Derby, one of the premier prep races for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) May 3 at Churchill Downs.
There are two second favorites listed at 4-1: Lecomte Stakes (gr. III) winner Vicar's in Trouble, starting from the sixth post, and similarly named In Trouble in post 9. In Trouble made his seasonal debut March 1 at Aqueduct Racetrack with a game third-place finish in the Gotham Stakes (gr. III).
Risen Star runner-up Albano, trained by Larry Jones, drew the far outside in post 10 and is listed at 9-2 odds. Rise Up, trained by Tom Amoss, will start from post 8 with blinkers for the first time, opening at 10-1 odds.
Post time for the Louisiana Derby, to be broadcast on NBCSN, is approximately 6:10 p.m. CDT. It is the 11th on a 13-race program that includes the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II), the $400,000 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II), and the $300,000 Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap (gr. IIT).
The Louisiana Derby is worth 170 points—100 for first, 40 for second, 20 for third and 10 for fourth —in the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" series that determines qualifying.
In winning the Risen Star at 5-1 odds, Intense Holiday halted a run of four consecutive defeats in graded stakes following his graduation in a maiden race Aug. 31 at Monmouth Park. The streak included a third behind Besilu Stables Florida Derby (gr. I) favorite Cairo Prince in the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) to begin his sophomore season Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.
Starlight managing partner Jack Wolf thinks that Intense Holiday, out of the Unbridled's Song mare Intensify, will only improve with added distance.
"Well, I think that's what Todd (Pletcher) thinks, and he knows the horse better than I do," said Wolf, noting that the Keeneland September yearling buy was the most expensive horse his ownership group has bought. "So, you know, his last race he seemed to gallop out very well and realize the distance there, and we'll go a sixteenth of a mile further on Saturday so we'll see. But you would think from his pedigree and the way he's handled the two turns so far that he would like the further distances."
Wolf said he believes Intense Holiday had legitimate excuses for his earlier stakes losses and turned the corner with an excellent ride from off the pace from Smith, who was aboard the dark bay colt for the first time in the Risen Star.
"So good for Todd to keep the confidence in the horse and keep putting him in these spots where I think he's experienced a very good foundation and should be ready for this Saturday and hopefully the Saturday five weeks after that," Wolf said.
Brereton C. Jones' homebred Albano gets another crack at the favorite after nearly wiring the field in the Risen Star at odds of 13-1. After breaking from the rail in his last start, he'll have to deal with the outside gate this time, but should have a chance to get a good position in the long run into the first turn.
After winning the Sugar Bowl at Fair Grounds last December, Albano was a distant second to Vicar's in Trouble in the Lecomte to start the year Jan. 18. The son of Istan has back-to-back bullet five-furlong drills over the track coming into the race, including a :59 1/5 move March 24.
"We're real happy the way he's coming along," said trainer Larry Jones, who is hoping for a clean trip. "He is a half-brother, or actually a three-quarter brother to Mark Valeski, so hopefully we've got the genetics to be at this level. But he's training very well. This colt, he seems (to) like the distance of ground, (which) should not be an issue for him at all."
Jones sticks with jockey Kerwin Clark, who has been aboard the bay colt for the past four races.
Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Vicar's in Trouble was favored in the Risen Star from post 13 but did not break with the leaders and was four wide on both turns. He weakened in the final furlong to finish 5 1/2 lengths behind Intense Holiday. It was the Louisiana-bred Into Mischief colt's first loss in three tries at Fair Grounds, where he won the Lecomte by a whopping 6 3/4 lengths.
Rosie Napravnik is in the saddle once again for trainer Mike Maker and the post position (6) should be much more condusive to Vicar's in Trouble's running style.
Team D's In Trouble, winner of the Futurity Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park last September, lands in post 9 for trainer Tony Dutrow after showing the way in the Gotham until mid-stretch, when he was edged by unbeaten Samraat and Uncle Sigh. That race, at 1 1/16 miles on the inner track, was In Trouble's first start around two turns and came after a five-month layoff. Joe Rocco Jr. retains the mount on the son of Tiz Wonderful .
Paul and Andrena Van Doren’s Rise Up, winner of the Delta Jackpot (gr. III) last November, weakened to seventh after chasing Albano in the Risen Star when he missed the break and was rank early. Amoss tries blinkers as the Rockport Harbor colt tries to regain the form he demonstrated in stakes wins at Delta Downs and Mountaineer last season. Gerard Melancon will be in the irons once more.
Three others come out of the Risen Star—Gold Hawk (fifth), Commanding Curve (sixth), and Flat Gone (eighth).
Of those, Winchell Thoroughbreds' $450,000 yearling Gold Hawk, trained by the beleaguered Steve Asmussen, could be the sleeper. The Empire Maker colt out of the champion filly Caressing was third as the favorite in the Lecomte after being difficult to handle at the gate and racing wide. He had more problems with loading prior to the Risen Star and gave way in the stretch after again traveling slightly wide.
WinStar Farm's King Cyrus, runner-up in the Smooth Air Stakes at Calder Casino & Race Course in his seasonal bow for Pletcher March 2, and Springboard Mile winner Louies Flower, last of 12 in the Southwest Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 17, complete the field.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/84021/intense-holiday-on-rail-for-louisiana-derby#ixzz2x8O5a5SL
