FAIR GROUNDS NOTEBOOK
MARCH 17, 2005
by Brian P. Turner
Favorites
swept the board, to the delight of chalk players, in the all-stakes $250,000
guaranteed Pick 4 on Saturday at Fair Grounds. The action
kicked off with the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (G2) as a field of nine tried to
cement a spot in the Kentucky Derby (G1) starting gate on May 7.
HIGH LIMIT (Maria’s Mon) was sent to the gate as the favorite despite the
fact that he was making his first start since October. Admittedly, in his two
previous lifetime starts, the bay had been flawless, breaking his maiden by 10
3/4
lengths at Delaware Park and following that up with a 7 3/4-length victory against
allowance company at the same track without ever once surrendering the lead in
either event. Another positive in his column was the fact that he had moved into
the stable of Bobby Frankel, who is an absolute master at bringing a horse back
off a layoff, according to BRISnet statistics, with a win rate of 31 percent off a layoff of
more than 90 days.
The final positive for High Limit was the track itself as the Fair Grounds
oval was as speed favoring on Saturday as it has been all meet, so once the colt sprang to the early lead, there was little doubt he would be hard to run down. After guiding the field through early fractions of
:23 2/5 and :47 1/5, High Limit actually increased his lead through the stretch
drive to hit the wire four lengths in front. The Todd Pletcher-trained long shot
VICARGE (Vicar) stalked the pacesetter throughout and crossed the wire in
second, 3 3/4 lengths clear of STORM SURGE (Storm Cat) in third.
A field of six went to the post for the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), which was
touted as a contest between last month’s winner of the Silverbulletday S. (G3),
SUMMERLY (Summer Squall), and RUNWAY MODEL (Petionville), who was making her
first start since taking the Golden Rod S. (G2) at Churchill Downs last
November. Given that Summerly was the speedster, though, it came as little
surprise that the betting public sent her to the gate as the favorite and she
did not disappoint. The chestnut shot to lead and never looked back, crossing
the line 4 3/4 lengths clear. Long shot CARLEA (Carson City) chased
the pacesetter throughout and hit the wire in second, a half-length better than
third-placer Runway Model.
In the New Orleans H. (G2), a group of nine went to the gate and once more
the pacesetter was the overwhelming favorite in the field and, once more, did not disappoint. BADGE OF SILVER (Silver Deputy) was entering the
fray off of a solid victory in early January in the Hal’s Hope H. (G3) at Gulfstream Park where he stalked the pace early and put in a game effort in the
drive to take the victory by a neck. There would be no stalking in this event as
he shot to the early lead before being forced into a pace battle by the Nick
Zito-trained Wanderin Boy (Seeking The Gold) on the backstretch. The pair
continued on, tussling it out for the top spot, until Badge of Silver finally
surged clear in the stretch drive for a one-length victory.
Limehouse (Grand Slam) attempted to break the trend of the previous stakes
races and rallied from well off the place to pick up the place, five lengths
clear of Second of June (Louis Quatorze) in third. Wanderin Boy tired badly
after his pace duel and staggered home a weary seventh.
The only turf stakes of the day came in the Marie G. Krantz Memorial H. as a
full field of 12 contested the 7 1/2-furlong event. WARNING ZONE (SAf) (Elliodor), who was making her first start in North America, was sent to the post as
the favorite and rewarded her backers by laying off the pace early before taking
the lead in the stretch drive and holding on late to hit the wire a length in
front. Sister Swank (Skip Away) had the misfortune of breaking from an outside
post and being forced to endure a bit of early bumping but closed with a really
nice turn of foot to pick up the place, a neck in front of Gamble to Victory
(Prospectors Gamble) in third.
Speed ruled the week on the main track in both sprint and route races. As for
the turf, horses coming from off the pace dominated whether they were going
short or long.
Steve Asmussen is set to claim yet another training title as his 65 winners
is 24 better than Gamaliel Vazquez in second. Tom Amoss is third with 36
winners for the meet. As for the jockeys, Robby Albarado is cruising home with
the
riding title with 94 winners thus far. Donnie Meche is second with 69, two
ahead of James Graham in third.
HORSES TO WATCH
Thursday (3/10)
8TH – TRIBUTE TO HEROES (Unbridled) had come close to breaking his maiden in
each of his four previous attempts over the grass but really got over the hump
in a big way in this event as he took the lead out of the gate and never looked
back, crossing the wire eight lengths clear of the field without ever once being
asked for his best.
Friday (3/11)
4TH – PAZ CIUDADANA (Chi) (Golden Voyager) was making good progress when she
was forced to steady in the second turn of this optional claiming turf event, but
she overcame the trouble and closed with a nice turn of foot to hit the finish line
3 1/4 lengths clear of the field in her first start for Asmussen.
6TH – RED PIANO (Red Ransom) looked extremely impressive in her North
American debut, rallying from well off the place to surge clear in this
stretch drive for the victory in this maiden special event by 3 3/4 lengths.
Saturday (3/12)
2ND – MR. MALAPROP (Distorted Humor) had shown improvement in each of his
first two starts at Fair Grounds this year but finally got over the hump in this
maiden special event as he rallied from off the pace and closed with good energy
to claim the victory by 3 1/2 lengths.
4TH – WHITE HOT CAT (Tactical Cat) looked extremely impressive in the maiden
special event as she led the field from gate-to-wire for a five-length victory.
6TH – High Limit showed that he had a solid mixture of endurance and speed
while cruising home to the easy victory in the Louisiana Derby.
8TH – Summerly continues to show improvement with each start and looms as a
solid threat come Kentucky Oaks (G1) day.
Runway Model shouldn’t be counted out after her third-place finish in the
Fair Grounds Oaks as it was her first start since November and she was trying to
close on a track that had played very friendly to speed all that day.
Sunday (3/13)
4TH – NATIVE MALAGRA (Mr. Secretary) reeled off his third victory in a row at
Fair Grounds as he led this state-bred allowance field from gate-to-wire for an
easy 6 3/4-length victory.
10TH – BUILDAKISS (Homebuilder) overcame a bit of bumping at the start of
this claiming event and finished strong, leaving the field 5 1/2 lengths in his
wake.
Monday (3/14)
9TH – RUSH BAY (Cozzene) easily disposed of this allowance field by two
lengths. A return to stakes-company is probably in the offing for this
three-year-old colt in his next start.