Unbeaten HARLINGTON (Unbridled), who is from the last crop of his late sire
and the fifth registered foal from champion and $3.2 million earner Serena’s
Song (Rahy), will make his highly anticipated stakes debut in Saturday’s $150,000 Risen Star
S. (G3) at Fair Grounds. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Harlington broke his maiden
first-time out in late November at Aqueduct and then won a nine-furlong
allowance at Gulfstream Park in mid-January. The dark bay
three-year-old is the 3-1 morning line favorite for the 1 1/16-mile test and will face 10 rivals with
John Velazquez in the boot.
Local hero STORM SURGE (Storm Cat) exits a victory in the LeComte S. (G3) and
also captured the Sugar Bowl S. in the Big Easy. A three-time stakes victor, the
Dallas Stewart charge has the services of leading jockey Robby Albarado and is
listed as the 5-1 third choice on the morning line. RUSH BAY (Cozzene), who
wrapped up his juvenile campaign with an impressive 6 3/4-length maiden score
before finishing a good second in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2), will make
his seasonal bow for trainer Tom Amoss in the Risen Star.
Other contenders include ICED OUT (Comic Strip), who enters off a commendable
runner-up finish in the San Rafael S. (G2), Golden Gate Derby hero BUZZARDS BAY
(Marco Bay) and ELECTRIC LIGHT (Silver Ghost), who will ship to Louisiana for
trainer Nick Zito off a victory in the Pasco S. at Tampa Bay Downs.
LeComte runner-up SMOOTH BID (Rubiano), who carries a 122-pound impost that
includes jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., is listed at 10-1 on the morning line and
will lead the post parade. Next comes Electric Light, Larry Melancon, 119, 12-1;
Storm Surge, 122; BOLD LION (Lion Cavern), Jesse Campbell, 114, 20-1; Iced Out,
Tyler Baze, 114, 8-1; SILENT BID (Grand Slam), Mike Smith, 114, 10-1; Buzzards
Bay, Mark Guidry, 122, 10-1; SCIPION (A.P. Indy), Gary Stevens, 114, 12-1; REAL
DANDY (Yankee Victor), Donnie Meche, 114, 10-1; Harlington, 114; and Rush Bay,
Eusebio Razo Jr., 114, 9-2.
Saturday’s Fair Grounds program contains a total of four stakes, including
the $150,000 Silverbulletday S. (G3) for sophomore fillies. SUMMERLY (Summer Squall), who
exits an impressive 9 3/4-length romp over the track, tops a group of nine entered for
the 8 1/2-furlong event and will likely go favored
for conditioner Steve Asmussen. The Kentucky-bred chestnut followed a 14-length
maiden win with a third-place finish in the Golden Rod S. (G2) last November and
will bring more seasoning into her second stakes attempt.
THE BETER MAN CAN (Lord Avie) also merits respect.
Overlooked at 11-1 in the Tiffany Lass S. last out, the Pat Mouton-trained lass
recorded her third overall stakes victory with a neck decision. The
Louisiana-bred owns an overall mark of 5-4-0-0. PRIVATE GIFT (Unbridled) will
make her stakes bow in the Silverbulletday off a 1 1/2-length maiden score at
the Fair Ground in mid-January. The Neil Howard trainee is a half-sister to 2000
Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Secret Status and multiple stakes hero ALUMNI HALL (A.P.
Indy), who will run in the $100,000 Mineshaft H. (G3) one race later.
The complete field for the Silverbulletday, from the rail with riders and
weights, is ENDURING WILL (Arch), Velazquez, 122; The Beter Man Can, Elvis
Perrodin, 122; STEAL THE SHOW (Cat Thief), Smith, 112; GLORIOUS PROSPECT (Lycius),
Nathaniel Puello, 119; EYES ON EDDY (Touch Gold), James Graham, 112; ELSIE
LUCILLE (Lord Avie), Corey Lanerie, 114; CEE’S IRISH (Cee’s Tizzy), Baze, 122;
Summerly, Meche, 114; and Private Gift, Albarado, 112.
The 1 1/16-mile Mineshaft marks the return of POLLARD’S VISION (Carson City),
who recorded wins in the Illinois Derby (G2) and Leonard Richards S. (G3) before
wrapping up his sophomore campaign with a victory in the Lone Star Derby (G3) in
late October. The Todd Pletcher-trained colt will face nine opponents, including
the aforementioned Alumni Hall, who comes off a triumph in the Maxxam Gold Cup
H. last month.
Grade 3 victor SKIPASLEW (Skip Away), who finished third in the San Fernando
Breeders’ Cup S. (G2) in his last start, and multiple stakes winner GIGAWATT
(Wild Again) are among the other contenders in the Mineshaft.
Ten sprinters will square off in the $100,000 Taylor’s Special H. going about
5 1/2 grassy furlongs. GOLD STORM (Seeking the Gold), winner of the Colonel
Power H. at Fair Grounds in his seasonal bow, is the 120-pound highweight.
MIGHTY BEAU (Rainbow Prospect) and WORLDWIND ROMANCE (Frosty the Snowman) and
WRZESZCZ (Langfuhr) are also in the field.