Delaunay was the top draw when entries were taken Friday for the $100,000
“Delaunay is out of the Thanksgiving Handicap,” Fair Grounds’ 10-time trainer
Delaunay, a three-times stakes winner at Fair Grounds during the 2012-13
With Delaunay’s absence, Gantry is the probable favorite in the five-horse
|
Owned by Brittlyn Stable, Gantry captured the Turkey Day fixture two years
ago and finished second to Delaunay in last season’s renewal. Trained by Ron
Faucheux, Gantry also finished second to Delaunay in the Gaudin and Duncan
Kenner but won both of those events two seasons ago for his own local sprint
stakes sweep.
Most recently, Gantry won the Temperance Hill at Louisiana Downs on September
7. The six-year-old Pulpit gelding has earned $708,245 from a 20-8-5-3 record
and will retain the services of Richard Eramia in the Thanksgiving.
Mico Margarita is the likely second choice in his Fair Grounds debut.
Conditioned by last season’s co-leading trainer Steve Asmussen, who posted his
13th local championship last spring, Mico Margarita missed by three-quarters of
a length when second in his last start, the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga
on July 28. He won Calder’s Grade 3 Carry Back by 4 1/2 lengths in his previous
effort on July 6. California-based veteran jockey David Flores, who is hanging
his tack at Fair Grounds on a regular basis for the first time this season, will
take over the reins on the three-year-old colt.
Completing the Thanksgiving field is Central Banker, Foreign Production and
Strong and Tough.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com