AMERICAN
GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS
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NEW ORLEANS H. (G2), 8TH-FG, $300,000, 4YO/UP, 1 1/8M, 3:39 P.M. CDT, 3-27 |
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| 1 |
GIANT OAK, 4, c, by Giant’s CausewayCrafty Oak, by Crafty Prospector O-Virginia H. Tarra Trust; B-Virginia H. Tarra Trust (Il) |
| 2 |
TONE IT DOWN, 4, c, by Medaglia D’OroChattin, by Rollicking O-Millennium Farms & James Covello; B-Barbara Cross Graham (Ky) |
| 3 |
AWESOME GEM, 7, G, by Awesome AgainPiano, by Pentelicus O-West Point Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Runnymede Farm Inc., Catesby Clay & Peter Callahan (Ky) |
| 4 |
STONES RIVER, 5, h, by Monarchos—Little Bold Belle, by Silver Buck O-Team Valor International; B-J. D. Squires (Ky) |
| 5 |
BIG POLK A DOT, 4, c, by TapitAnnacious, by Dehere O-Southern Equine Stables LLC; B-Clark Cloyce Jr. (Ky) |
| 6 |
HOLD ME BACK, 4, c, by Giant’s CausewayRestraint, by Unbridled’s Song O-WinStar Farm LLC; B-Haras Santa Maria de Araras Sa & WinStar Farm LLC (Ky) |
| 7 |
STAR GUITAR, 5, h, by Quiet AmericanMinit Towinit, by Malagra O-Brittlyn Stable Inc.; B-Brittlyn Stable Inc., M. & Evelyn Benoit (La) |
| 8 |
STONEHOUSE, 6, h, by Chester HouseJenny D., by Regal Embrace O-Richard Rudolph & Michael Vranich; B-Rudolph Richard F. (Il) |
| 9 |
BATTLE PLAN, 5, h, by Empire MakerFlanders, by Seeking the Gold O-Overbrook Farm LLC; B-Overbrook Farm (Ky) |
| 10 |
GENERAL QUARTERS, 4, c, by Sky MesaEcology, by Unbridled’s Song O-Thomas R. McCarthy; B-Mr. & Mrs. R. David Randal (Ky) |
HOLD ME BACK (Giant’s Causeway) is the pick in the New Orleans H. (G2). Last
year’s Travers S. (G1) runner-up will make his second start of the year and
received a useful tightener when returning in a one-turn mile allowance at
Gulfstream Park, rallying well in deep stretch for second. He earned a 100 BRIS
Late Pace rating and will certainly appreciate the added ground on Saturday.
Trained by Bill Mott, the Grade 2-winning colt will be re-united with Kent
Desormeaux and appears poised for a successful campaign this season. We hope to
get some value in this spot.
GIANT OAK (Giant’s Causeway) was hurt by a slow pace when third in the
Mineshaft H. (G3) last time and is eligible to move forward in a big way for
Neil Pessin. A three-time Grade 2 runner-up, the deep closer doesn’t get there
too often, rallying boldly to miss by narrow margins in both the Clark H. (G2)
and Indiana Derby (G2) last year, but he still merits serious consideration for
the win here. We anticipate a more realistic pace this time and will look for a
strong showing late beneath James Graham.
BATTLE PLAN (Empire Maker) will be tested for class in his stakes debut, but
the Todd Pletcher runner is the potential lone speed and could last a long way
on the front end under Javier Castellano. We love the 111 BRIS Speed rating he
earned when stretching out to nine furlongs for the first time in a Gulfstream
Park allowance/optional claiming heat last time, and the well-bred five-year-old
has registered triple-digit BRIS Late Pace numbers in his last three outings.
He’s a threat to steal it.
AWESOME GEM (Awesome Again) captured the Hawthorne Gold Cup (G2) in his last
dirt start and should appreciate the class relief off his last two appearances
against Grade 1 rivals. The seven-year-old gelding is probably a little better
at 10 furlongs (winless in five starts at 1 1/8 miles), but we won’t be
surprised to see him improve upon a solid tightener over the turf in his
seasonal debut and will use the Craig Dollase runner on the bottom of the
exotics.
GENERAL QUARTERS (Sky Mesa) is eligible to outperform our expectations, but
he drew the far outside post and has come up short in three straight
appearances at Fair Grounds this year. We were surprised to see him get outfinished
in the stretch of the Mineshaft last time and will take a stand against him
here, but the Grade 1 winner remains a serious threat for a top-three finish.
STAR GUITAR (Quiet American), who owns a six-race win skein, is a beast against
Louisiana-bred rivals, but he was no factor when seventh in this race last year
and is probably a little more effective at a mile or 8 1/2 furlongs. We’ll have
to let him beat us.
STONEHOUSE (Chester House) registered a 16-1 upset in the five-horse
Mineshaft, but he benefited from the slow pace and will step up to face a deeper
cast here. He’s winless in five attempts at nine furlongs and would be a major
surprise here again. TONE IT DOWN (Medaglia d’Oro), STONES RIVER (Monarchos) and
BIG POLK A DOT (Tapit) don’t look fast enough to challenge.