Pyro, with Dominic Terry up, completes a five-furlong workout Feb. 18 at Fair Grounds.
Photo by Lou Hodges Jr.
Barn Notes
Pyro Likely to Face Seven in Louisiana Derby March 8
FAIR GROUNDS BARN NOTES
Headlines for Friday, February 29, 2008
· Pyro Likely to Face Seven in Louisiana Derby March 8
· Indian Blessing Returning to Top Fair Grounds Oaks
· ‘Quay’ Coming to Challenge Grasshopper in N.O. Handicap
· Irish-bred Daytona Expected Back for Mervin Muniz Memorial
· Preview Day Winners All Return
Pyro Likely to Face Seven in Louisiana Derby March 8
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Pyro, the projected favorite in Fair Grounds’ Grade II $600,000 Louisiana Derby March 8, is currently expected to face at least seven rivals in the centerpiece event of the New Orleans Thoroughbred racing season.
The post position draw for the 95th running of the Louisiana Derby will be held Monday at 11:30 a.m. on the second floor of Fair Grounds slots facility.
Pyro swept to the summit of pre-Kentucky Derby buzz when he unleashed his dramatic worst-to-first stretch run in Fair Grounds’ $300,000 Risen Star Stakes Feb. 9. That served as his lone 2008 prep for next week’s Louisiana Derby.
Three other stakes winners, including a pair of graded stakes winners, are expected to face Pyro.
Majestic Warrior, who captured the Grade I Hopeful last Sept. 3 at Saratoga but hasn’t started since finishing sixth in Belmont’s Grade I Champagne Oct. 6, is expected to ship in from south Florida to contest the Louisiana Derby. Conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, the son of A.P. Indy is owned by a high-profile group that includes George Steinbrenner’s Kinsman Stable, Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith.
Charles Fipke’s Tale of Ekati has been working at Palm Meadows training center in Florida in preparation for his seasonal bow in the Louisiana Derby. Trained by Barclay Tagg, the son of Tale of the Cat won Belmont’s Grade II Futurity last Sept. 15 but was fourth in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Oct. 27.
Undefeated Kentucky-bred Yankee Bravo, who broke his maiden last Sept. 6 in Great Britain, has won his last two starts in California – the Eddie Logan Stakes Dec. 29 at Santa Anita on turf and the California Derby at Golden Gate Jan. 27. Like Pyro, Yankee Bravo made a move from last to first in the California Derby, but will be racing over a conventional dirt surface for the first time when coming to New Orleans.
Steve Asmussen, well on his way to a seventh Fair Grounds training title, is also likely to saddle Zayat Stables LLC’s J Be K in the Louisiana Derby. The undefeated Silver Deputy colt was very impressive when ridden out to a five-length tally in his second career start in a first-level allowance race at Fair Grounds Feb. 15.
Dogwood Stable’s Blackberry Road, victim of severe traffic problems throughout when fifth in the Risen Star, but a fast-closing second in the Grade III Lecomte Stakes here Jan. 12, is one of several who have enough ability to provide strong competition for Pyro. Trainer David Carroll, who was aboard the Gone West colt for a trip to the track Friday morning, said Blackberry Road will work again Monday or Tuesday.
Unbridled Vicar, who races in the yellow and blue silks of Jim Tafel, whose Street Sense won last year’s Kentucky Derby, is another penciled in for an appearance in the 2008 Louisiana Derby. The son of Vicar, trained by Greg Geier, was a competitive fourth in the Risen Star, beaten less than four lengths at the wire.
Completing the projected Louisiana Derby field at this time is B. Wayne Hughes’ My Pal Charlie, a winner of a first level allowance race at Fair Grounds Feb. 14. The son of Indian Charlie is trained by New Orleans native Al Stall Jr. The Hughes-Stall tandem finished second to Circular Quay in last year’s Louisiana Derby with Ketchikan.
Indian Blessing Returning to Top Fair Grounds Oaks Field
The first four finishers in Fair Grounds’ Grade III Silverbulletday Stakes Feb. 9 are slated to match strides again in the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks on Louisiana Derby Day March 8.
Patti and Hal Earnhardt III’s Indian Blessing, front-running one-length winner of the $200,000 Silverbulletday, is expected to return from her Southern California headquarters to head the field in the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks.
The undefeated daughter of Indian Charlie, Eclipse Award-winning juvenile filly last season after winning Monmouth’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, won Santa Anita’s Grade II Santa Ynez Stakes Jan. 13.
Also likely for the Fair Grounds Oaks is Brereton Jones’ Proud Spell, runner-up to Indian Blessing in last fall’s BC Juvenile Fillies and again in the Silverbulletday, as well as Silverbulletday third-place finisher Highest Class and fourth-place runner Jolie the Cat.
'Quay’ Coming to Challenge Grasshopper in N.O. Handicap
Michael and Doreen Tabor’s Circular Quay, who won last year’s Louisiana Derby, is expected to try for a rare double by winning the $500,000 New Orleans Handicap this year on Louisiana Derby Day March 8.
However, the Thunder Gulch colt will have to get past William S. Farish et al.’s Grasshopper to become the fourth horse in history to accomplish that feat.
Grasshopper, second by a half-length to Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense in last summer’s Travers at Saratoga, returned to action as a 4-year-old by winning the Grade III Mineshaft Handicap here Feb. 9 in Fair Grounds’ designed prep race for the Grade II New Orleans Handicap.
Peace Rules (2003-04), Master Derby (1975-76), and Spanish Play (1931-32) are the only horses to win those two races in successive seasons.
Grasshopper and A.P. Arrow have each been assigned 119 pounds and are the co-highweights among the 19 New Orleans Handicap nominees. Weights were announced for both the New Orleans Handicap and the Mervin Muniz Memorial handicap on Friday.
Also expected for the New Orleans Handicap, to be run at a mile and an eighth on the main track, is Fred Bradley’s Brass Hat, winner of the 2006 New Orleans Handicap and the Grade I Donn Handicap after that.
Silver Lord, second to Grasshopper in the Mineshaft, is also expected to try again in the upcoming New Orleans Handicap.
Brass Hat will carry 117 pounds, Circular Quay 116 and Silver Lord 115 in the New Orleans Handicap.
Irish-bred Daytona Expected Back for Mervin Muniz Memorial
California-based Daytona, an Irish-bred who invaded from the West Coast to capture the Grade III Fair Grounds Handicap Feb. 9 over the Stall-Wilson turf course, is expected to return for the Grade II Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap, the premier grass test of the New Orleans racing season.
Einstein, who won last year’s Muniz Memorial, is the 122-pound highweight for the Muniz, with Daytona assigned 121. Trainer Helen Pitts has not ruled out a return visit for Einstein.
Buffalo Man and Elusive Fort, the one-two finishers in Gulfstream’s Grade III Appleton Handicap, are also expected for the Muniz, as is the German-bred Proudinsky, conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel and winner of the Grade III Bay Meadows Derby two years ago after finishing fourth in Arlington’s Grade I Secretariat Stakes before that.
Irish-bred Fracas is slated to make his first North American start and seasonal bow for trainer Barclay Tagg in the Muniz. The son of In the Wings won Leopardstown’s Group III Meld Stakes last July 28 and was fifth in the Group I Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh last May 27.
Jazz Quest, runner-up in the Fair Grounds Handicap, is also expected for the Muniz, as is fifth-place runner French Beret, who captured the Grade III Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap here in January.
Preview Day Winners All Return
For the first time since the packaging of a four-graded stakes Louisiana Derby Preview Day program designed to serve as prep races for a quartet of similar races on Louisiana Derby Day, all four winners of the Preview Day stakes are expected back for the Fair Grounds showcase afternoon March 8.
Risen Star winner Pyro heads the Louisiana Derby, Silverbulletday heroine Indian Blessing returns for the Fair Grounds Oaks, Mineshaft Handicap victory Grasshopper will try again in the New Orleans Handicap, and Fair Grounds Handicap winner Daytona is slated to return over the local lawn for the Muniz Memorial.
