Grasshopper gets in his final workout Monday morning for Saturday's New Orleans Handicap. Grasshopper breezed five furlongs in 1:01 2-5.
Photo by Lou Hodges Jr.
Barn Notes
Howard Pleased at Grasshopper's Punch in Work
FAIR GROUNDS BARN NOTES
Headlines for Tuesday, March 04, 2008
· Howard Pleased at Grasshopper’s Punch in Work
· Indian Blessing ‘Awesome’ Heading into Oaks
· Brass Hat Shines Tuesday in N.O. Handicap Drill
· Euroears Amplifies Saturday’s Derby Undercard
Howard Pleased at Grasshopper’s Punch in Work
NEW ORLEANS, La. – One day after Grasshopper’s final workout in preparations for Saturday’s $500,000 Grade II New Orleans Handicap, trainer Neil Howard expressed delight with his 4-year-old colt’s five-furlong breeze.
“It was excellent,” said Howard of the Monday move, referring particularly to the way Grasshopper finished up his move, getting the last eighth in :11.
Grasshopper, who gave Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense a hard fought battle in last summer’s Grade I Travers before losing by a half-length, made his only start this year in Fair Grounds’ Grade III Mineshaft Stakes Feb. 9, winning impressively by 2 1/2-lengths in his only prep for Saturday’s $500,000 New Orleans Handicap.
“We had to be thrilled with his first start back, and he’s trained well in between,” said Howard. “He looked like he was ready for that race and (jockey) Robby (Albarado) didn’t have to go overboard to win the race.”
The homebred son of Dixie Union out of Grass Skirt has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line choice in the New Orleans Handicap.
Indian Blessing ‘Awesome’ Heading into Oaks
Trainer Bob Baffert described champion 2-year-old filly Indian Blessing’s final workout in preparation for Saturday’s $400,000 Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks as “awesome.”
“They clocked her going three-quarters, but she really only went five-eighths in :59 and change,” Baffert said Monday night. “She keeps holding her form.”
Baffert said his trip to New Orleans this weekend wasn’t solidified until Monday’s workout. “I don’t put ‘em on the plane anymore unless they work well,” he said. “She had to work that well.”
Indian Blessing, who is undefeated in six lifetime starts including last year’ s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and last month’s Grade III Silverbulletday Stakes, is the 3-5 morning-line favorite in a field of four for the Oaks.
Brass Hat Shines Tuesday in N.O. Handicap Drill
Fred Bradley’s Brass Hat breezed a half-mile in :48.40 at Fair Grounds Tuesday morning in preparation for Saturday’s Grade II New Orleans Handicap.
“He worked very well,” said trainer William “Buff” Bradley, son of the owner. “He went easy the first part of it and then looked real strong coming down the lane.”
Brass Hat won the 2006 New Orleans Handicap when it was run in Bossier City during the abbreviated Fair Grounds-at Louisiana Downs meeting in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Brass Hat parlayed that 2 1/2-length tally into a 4 3/4-length win in the Grade I Donn Handicap at Gulfstream one month later.
Brass Hat, a 7-year-old gelded son of Prized, has been made the 9-2 third choice in the morning-line for Saturday’s $500,000 New Orleans Handicap behind 2-1 favorite Grasshopper and 2007 Louisiana Derby winner Circular Quay, who is 7-2 in the early line.
“It would be nice to win this race again in New Orleans,” said Bradley. “This track at Fair Grounds is the kind of track horses can get a hold of. He thrives on a track like this.
“(Exercise rider) Rudolph (Brisset, who was aboard for Tuesday’s move) said this is a different horse now than when he worked him at Saratoga for me. He never could get a hold of that track last summer. He’s not real fond of a deep, cuppy track like that.”
Euroears Amplifies Saturday’s Derby Undercard
Somewhat upstaged by all the headliners in Saturday’s four Grade II races at Fair Grounds that total $2 million in purse money is James and Marilyn Helzer’s undefeated Euroears, who is the prohibitive favorite in Saturday’s $200,000 Duncan F. Kenner Stakes at six furlongs.
Since the first of the year, Euroears has won the $100,000 F.W. Gaudin Memorial Jan. 12 on Fair Grounds’ main track as well as the $100,000 Colonel Power Stakes Feb. 9 over the Stall-Wilson turf course.
Euroears breezed a half in :49.80 March 1 in preparation for Saturday’s Duncan F. Kenner, where the 4-year-old son of Langfuhr will attempt to extend his winning streak to six.
“He’s been the highlight of the meeting for us,” said conditioner Bret Calhoun, who is having a banner meeting with his entire barn, and currently ranks fourth in the trainer standings after saddling 35 winners from 130 starters through Sunday. “We’re doing better than we expected this winter because this meeting is tough. There are a lot of good horses down here.”
Euroears is not a Breeders’ Cup-nominated horse, which means he is not eligible for the $50,000 portion of the Duncan Kenner purse contributed by Breeders’ Cup Ltd.
