Barn Notes

February 8, 2008 --

FAIR GROUNDS BARN NOTES

Headlines for Friday, February 08, 2008

· Sutra Win on Saturday Would Supplement Stidham’s 1,000-Win Milestone

· 2007 Classic-Winning Jockeys at Fair Grounds Saturday

· Two of Last Three Eclipse Award-Winning Trainers Represented Saturday

· FG’s Defending Trainer Champ Amoss Can’t Be Overlooked

 

Sutra Win on Saturday Would Supplement Stidham’s 1,000-Win Milestone

NEW ORLEANS, La. –It’s already been a memorable February for Fair Grounds-based conditioner Mike Stidham. On Feb. 1 the 50-year-old New Orleans resident saddled the 1,000th winner of his career when Exoteric captured the second race at Sam Houston Race Park.

However, this Saturday, as part of Fair Grounds’ Louisiana Derby Preview Day, Stidham could enjoy another memorable racing program should his former Grade I winner Sutra capture the $100,000 Pan Zareta Stakes.

It’s been almost a year and a half since Sutra finished second by a nose in the Grade III Arlington-Washington Lassie in the second start of her career, and then came back to take down winning honors in Belmont’s Grade I Frizette.

After that New York tally, the daughter of Meadowlake was idle for four months, returned for two more races without success, and was then out of action another 11 months before returning to the winner’s circle at Fair Grounds Jan. 13.

What happened in between?

“She had some back problems we couldn’t quite get under control,” said Stidham, “and it seemed like when she raced on Polytrack (Keeneland’s Grade II Beaumont last spring), that worsened the problem. But now we feel like she’s recovered after her win the other day and we feel we have her going in the right direction again.”

Following his milestone win earlier this month in Houston, Stidham was honored in winner’s circle ceremonies at Fair Grounds after returning to New Orleans.

“It’s just great being in this business,” said Stidham when asked his reaction to his milestone win. “It just proves that if you keep working hard, you’ll keep doing well and good things are bound to happen.”

Stidham considered a start for his highly regarded 3-year-old filly Tizaqueena in Saturday’s Grade III Silverbulletday, but elected to find an easier spot for what would be only the third trip to the post for that daughter of Tiznow. After breaking her maiden impressively here, Tizaqueena finished second in Fair Grounds Tiffany Lass Stakes Jan. 12.

Stidham, however, will saddle Stonerside Stable’s General Charley in Saturday’s $100,000 Colonel Power at about 5 1/2 furlongs over the Stall-Wilson turf course. That Texas-bred 6-year-old won Retama’s Texas Hall of Fame Stakes last October.

 

2007 Classic-Winning Jockeys at Fair Grounds Saturday

Calvin Borel captured his first Triple Crown race when he won last year’s Kentucky Derby aboard Street Sense. Robby Albarado won his first Triple Crown race astride Curlin in last year’s Preakness, and John Velazquez won his first Triple Crown race when he guided the filly Rags to Riches to a tally in last spring’s Belmont Stakes.

All three jockeys will ride at Fair Grounds on Saturday’s Louisiana Derby Preview Day. Louisiana native Borel will ride Dogwood Stable’s Blackberry Road in the Risen Star. Albarado, another native of the Pelican State, will ride Oxbow Racing’s The Darp, and Puerto Rican-born Velazquez, who was scheduled to ride Check It Twice in the final Louisiana Derby prep, is still expected to fulfill his other engagements on the local card.

Albarado, incidentally, is the only jockey riding in Saturday’s Risen Star to have previously won the race, capturing last year’s renewal astride Notional, 2004’s edition aboard Gradepoint and 2003’s running on Badge of Silver.

 

Two of Last Three Eclipse Award-Winning Trainers Represented Saturday

Bob Baffert, perhaps the most recognizable face in horse racing, will be at Fair Grounds Saturday to saddle Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old filly Indian Blessing in the Grade III Silverbulletday Stakes.

Coincidentally, the filly Silverbulletday was also a Baffert trainee, when she won this race (then known as the Davona Dale) and the Fair Grounds Oaks in 1999.

Baffert was named as the Eclipse Award-winning trainer that year, after being previously awarded the honor in 1997 and 1998.

Todd Pletcher, named Eclipse Award-winning trainer for 2007 during January ceremonies on the West Coast, increased his own string of trainer championships to four straight with that tally. Pletcher saddled Circular Quay to win last year’s Grade II Louisiana Derby, and will be represented this year on Saturday’s Louisiana Derby Preview Day by Magna Graduate in the Mineshaft in the prep for the Grade II New Orleans Handicap four weeks later.

The 40-year-old native of Dallas, Texas, also entered Check It Twice in Saturday’s Risen Star, but that colt previously trained by Kathleen O’Connell is now expected to pursue other opportunities on the road to the Triple Crown.

Trainer Bobby Frankel, who like Pletcher ran his Eclipse Award winning streak to four before being dethroned by Pletcher, was the only trainer to win the award in the interim years between Baffert and Pletcher.

 

FG’s Defending Trainer Champ Amoss Can’t Be Overlooked

Fair Grounds defending trainer champion Tom Amoss, now with nine local titles to his credit, has two horses entered in Saturday’s Risen Star Stakes.

Casa Farms I’s Prince Cortez is 12-1 in the morning-line.

“It’s the kind of situation where you look at the glass as either half-full or half-empty,” said Amoss. “On the plus side, he’s undefeated. That’s the most exciting thing about him. Also, although he hasn’t raced at Fair Grounds, he’s trained very well over the surface.

“But on the negative side, he hasn’t been tested yet and he’s in against some really tough horses Saturday. Also, he drew a bad post position on the outside like that. This is a race where he has to show he belongs with this kind of horses. It’s going to be a seasoning race for him.”

Amoss-trainee Peteadoris, owned by Ralph Wadleigh and Sidney Yuratich, is by Smart Strike, sire of last year’s Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.

Peteadoris is named for conditioner Pete Latino, a trainer at Fair Grounds for 40 years, in combination with his wife Doris.

Amoss also has Graeme Six entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Pan Zareta Stakes. She is the third choice in the morning-line of the six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares at 3-1.

“I thought she ran well in her last start Jan. 13 after returning from a long layoff,” said Amoss. “Trip handicappers would know that she raced very wide and I was dissatisfied with that. But she came back well, and I’m looking for big things from her.”