Fair Grounds Notebook

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.