Tuesday, January 26 2010

Wicked Uno Edges Lela in Monday Feature

NEW ORLEANS (Monday, January 25, 2010) – Gold Mark Farm’s 15-10 favorite Wicked Uno broke in stride to make the pace and held on in the final strides to win Monday’s $45,000 five-and-a-half-furlong feature for 3-year-old fillies at Fair Grounds by a head.

The winner paid $5, $3 and $2.10, set early splits of 23.13 and 46.75 before tripping the final timer in 1:05.23 and increased her career earnings to $54,630 with her second win in three lifetime starts.

Jody Slew Would Be Welcome Addition to Grade III Silverbulletday

NEW ORLEANS (Monday, January 25, 2010) – Last weekend’s $75,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes provided one welcome surprise for the barn of conditioner Bret Calhoun when Martin Racing Stable and Dan Morgan’s Jody Slew got up in time to win the local oval’s first prep for the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks March 26.

Carl Moore Management’s Speedacious, 12-length heroine of Fair Grounds’ $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Lassie, was the expected probable starter in the Tiffany Lass for the Calhoun barn, but a minor setback for her left Jody Slew in a position to step up to the plate. Originally scheduled for a grass career, the daughter of Slew City Slew was left in the Tiffany Lass to keep her fit for the next attractive turf stakes to come along, but what happens now after she has won her first race at two turns on dirt?

Saturday, January 23 2010

KINSALE KING ADDS ANOTHER UPSET WIN IN PALOS VERDES

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 23, 2010) – Gaining his third straight upset victory under the care of trainer Carl O’Callaghan, lightly-raced 5-year-old gelding Kinsale King scorched the four-race winning streak of Breeders’ Cup Sprint Champion Dancing in Silks Saturday when triumphant in Santa Anita’s 58th running of the Grade II, $150,000 Palos Verdes Handicap at six furlongs.

With Martin Garcia in the saddle, Kinsale King withstood the late charge of another longshot, Ventana, by one-half length while 9-10 favorite Dancing in Silks settled for third, another 1 ¼ lengths back without mounting a serious threat under Joel Rosario.

Striking Hight Wins at Fair Grounds Friday

NEW ORLEANS (Friday, January 22, 2010) – Team Block’s Striking Hight rallied boldly under a strong ride by Fair Grounds leading jockey James Graham to capture Friday’s $45,000 optional claiming feature by a length and a quarter for trainer Richie Scherer.

The winner, an altered son of Smart Strike, paid mutuels of $16, $7.20 and $4.40, toured the about 1 1/16-mile distance over the Stall-Wilson turf course in 1:49.64 and increased his career earnings to $58,011 with his second victory in five lifetime starts.

Gr. III Col. Bradley ‘Cap Lurse Condo and Cisco, plus more Road to the Derby Kickoff Day News

NEW ORLEANS (Friday, January 22, 2010) – When Barr Three LLC and Cherrywood Racing’s Princeville Condo rallied outside the leaders to win Fair Grounds’ $60,000 “Buddy” Diliberto Memorial Handicap by a head Dec. 26, it justified the long-range plans of part-owner and Chicago-based trainer Michele Boyce to send her Illinois-bred gelding to fellow conditioner Greg Geier for this winter’s three-race grass series at the Crescent City oval.

The first leg of that series to be run over the Stall-Wilson turf course is Saturday’s 24th running of the Grade III Col. E. R. Bradley Handicap – one of six stakes races set for Saturday’s “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day” program at Fair Grounds. Understandably, Boyce will be flying down from Chicago to New Orleans earlier on Saturday to witness the turf test.

Friday, January 22 2010

Lecomte-Bound Citrus Kid Happy to Be in Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS (Thursday, January 21, 2010) – Local authorities normally frown on attempts to ship Florida citrus to Louisiana, but when it comes to shipping the highly regarded 3-year-old Citrus Kid from South Florida’s Palm Meadows training center to Fair Grounds for Saturday’s Grade II Lecomte Stakes as the centerpiece event of its “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day” program – nobody has a problem with that.

Following a bullet breeze Tuesday at Palm Meadows accomplished in 1:00.85, Citrus Kid was loaded on a van for New Orleans later in the day and was surely feeling his oats Thursday morning during training hours at Fair Grounds.

Thursday, January 21 2010

General Quarters to March Again in Louisiana ‘Cap, plus Margolis Has Four Live Ones in Saturday’s St

NEW ORLEANS (Wednesday, January 20, 2010) – Tom McCarthy, the 76-year-old owner and trainer of the one-horse stable that consists of last spring’s Grade I Blue Grass Stakes winner General Quarters, watched his horse gallop around the Fair Grounds course Tuesday morning in preparation for Saturday’s $75,000 Louisiana Handicap as part of the local oval’s six-stakes Road to the Derby Kickoff Day program.

After winning the Blue Grass (and Tampa Bay’s Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes earlier last winter), General Quarters was a victim of a troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby, and was discovered to have a chip that required surgery after another dull performance in the Preakness.

Wednesday, January 20 2010

Citrus Kid in Bullet Breeze at Palm Meadows, plus Maximus Ruler, Worldly

NEW ORLEANS (Tuesday, January 19, 2010) – Citrus Kid, a regally-bred 3-year-old prospect scheduled to arrive Wednesday morning for Saturday’s Grade III Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds, worked five furlongs handily in 1:00.85 at South Florida’s Palm Meadows training center Tuesday morning before leaving for New Orleans later in the day to participate in the local Road to the Derby program.

Citrus Kid is a sophomore son of 1999 Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid, and one of two East Coast-based invaders for Saturday’s $100,000 Lecomte, the first leg of Fair Grounds’ three-race sophomore series that concludes with the March 27 Grade II Louisiana Derby.

Five Other Stakes Add Depth to Featured Lecomte on Road to the Derby Kickoff Day

NEW ORLEANS (Tuesday, January 19, 2010) – Sugar Bowl Stakes winner Cool Bullet faces 10 sophomore rivals, including a pair of invading 3-year-old stakes winners based on the East Coast, in Saturday’s Grade III $100,000 Lecomte Stakes – a race which serves as Fair Grounds’ early test leading to 2010’s upcoming Grade II, $750,000 Louisiana Derby on March 27.

However, that race is only one of six stakes showcased on the Road to the Derby program in New Orleans this Saturday. Post time for the first race of 13 races is scheduled for 12:10 pm.

Tuesday, January 19 2010

Turf Melody, Maximus Ruler, Cool Bullet Vie in Saturday’s Lecomte

NEW ORLEANS (Monday, January 18, 2010) – Fair Grounds’ “Road to the Derby” series gets underway this weekend in New Orleans when Sugar Bowl Stakes winner Cool Bullet and local buzz horse Maximus Ruler get their stiffest tests to date – facing two stakes winners based on the East Coast as well as seven others in the Saturday’s Grade III Lecomte Stakes.

As the first local Grade II Louisiana Derby prep, the $100,000 Lecomte is the centerpiece event among six stakes races Saturday. However, also highlighted is the Grade III Col. E. R. Bradley for older horses on the Stall-Wilson turf course, the $75,000 Louisiana Handicap for older horses on the main track, and the $75,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes for 3-year-old fillies as the initial leg of the series that leads to the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks. Two $75,000 sprint stakes, the Gaudin Memorial on the main track and the Dr. Leggio Memorial on the grass, complete the stakes portion of the 13-race program.

Monday, January 18 2010

Clear Sailing Much the Best in Sunday Feature

NEW ORLEANS (Sunday, January 17, 2010) – Coteau Grove Farm’s Clear Sailing, away alertly and quickly in command, responded to clever rating throughout under veteran jockey Shane Sellers in Sunday’s $45,000 Fair Grounds feature for fillies and mares at a mile and 40 yards and drew off to tally by 8 3/4-lengths without urging by the rider.

The daughter of 2003 Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker, trained by Glenn Delahoussaye, increased her career earnings to $56,940 with her second win in three career starts and paid $3, $2.40 and $2.10, accomplishing the distance in 1:42.69 after making early fractions of 25.30 and 50.22. In her local bow, Clear Sailing broke her maiden by four and a quarter lengths here on Dec. 28.

Fair Grounds Resident Rachel Alexandra Up for Horse of the Year Monday

NEW ORLEANS (Sunday, January 17, 2010) – Superstar filly Rachel Alexandra, undefeated in eight starts as a 3-year-old including an unforgettable win in the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks, could be named Horse of the Year at the annual Eclipse Awards ceremony Monday night in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Currently stabled at Fair Grounds in trainer Steve Asmussen’s barn, Stonestreet Stables’ Rachel Alexandra is one of two finalists for the Horse of the Year honor, along with older mare Zenyatta, who won the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park in November to remain undefeated in her own storied career.