Friesan Fire completes New Orleans sweep in resounding
fashion
The first horse to sweep Fair Grounds’ series since Dixieland Heat
“Papa Clem was the horse we were really worried about,” said assistant trainer
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“I thought he could have run much better if I was there,” Jones
joked via telephone from Hot Springs, Arkansas. “But
seriously, we’re very happy with (Friesan Fire’s) performance. The time was
good. It at least gets us in the ballpark. All is well. We’re improving
every race.”
California invader Papa Clem sprinted to a clear lead soon
after the start, passing the quarter-mile mark in :24 with a 1 1/2-length
advantage, and he continued to show the way through splits of :48 3/5 and 1:13
1/5 with Friesan Fire tracking him in second. Saez was biding his time with a
snug hold entering the far turn, and Friesan Fire had little difficulty
overhauling the pacesetter. The bay quickly accelerated clear after
straightening into the stretch, passing the mile mark with a two-length lead, and Friesan Fire kept pouring it on the rest of the way under
confident handling.
“He was awesome the way he was going so smooth early,” Saez said. “He made me so
confident. When I asked him to go — he did it so easy I can’t explain it.”
Favored at 2-1, the winner paid $6.40, $4.20 and $3 after completing 1 1/16
miles in 1:43 2/5.
Terrain (Sky Mesa) offered a big run from far off the pace to challenge for
second in midstretch, but Papa Clem dug in gamely and out-finished that rival by
a head. The 5-1 third choice returned $4.80 and $4.20 for the place, and
Terrain, who gave a good account of himself in his 2009 opener, was good for
$5.20 at 8-1. It was two lengths back to the late-running Giant Oak (Giant’s
Causeway) in fourth, and Soul Warrior (Lion Heart), Flying Pegasus (Fusaichi
Pegasus), Uno Mas (Macho Uno), Patena (Seeking the Gold) and Free Country (Big
Country) rounded out the order of finish. Nowhere to Hide (Vindication) was
withdrawn. The exotics returned $43.40 (exacta), $395.20 (trifecta) and $1,940.40
(9-8-4-6 superfecta).
“He tried really hard,” said Rafael Bejarano, rider of Papa Clem. “I thought
he was really comfortable through the race. I am very pleased with his progression and
I think he liked the surface (his first race on dirt).”
Trainer Al Stall Jr. was pleased with third-placer Terrain.
“It was a great comeback race,” Stall explained. “We’re the only horse who
closed into a slow pace. We were really happy with the comeback.”
The winner was bred in Kentucky by Grapestock LLC and RNA’d for $725,000 at
the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale. Friesan Fire is out of Australian
Group 1 winner Bollinger (Aus) (Dehere), who is also the dam of the yearling
filly Champagne Run (More Than Ready). The 10-year-old Bollinger is out of
Australian champion Bint Marscay (Aus) (Marscay), who is a half-sister to
Filante (Star Way) and Kenny’s Best Pal (Bletchingly), both Group 1 winners at
around 1 1/4 miles. Friesan Fire is inbred 3 X 4 to the immortal Secretariat.
Third in the Futurity S. (G2) and fourth in the Nashua S. (G3) at two,
the improving Friesan Fire now shows a career line of 7-4-1-1, $603,265.
“He’s definitely going to Keeneland (to train),” Larry Jones said when asked
about upcoming plans. “He’s headed there next week. We’ll analyze his numbers to
think if he can run a Derby winning number off this race or if we need to get
another race into him.
“He probably has more races under his belt than anyone who’s in contention
for the Derby,” Jones added. “He already has seven races.”