Alma d’Oro Invades for Louisiana Handicap

Bourque Goldstein Thoroughbreds’ Alma d’Oro, stakes-placed on multiple occasions, will carry the assigned high weight of 121 pounds in Saturday’s $100,000 Louisiana Handicap for older horses at 1 1/16 miles on the main track and has been tapped as the 3-1 early favorite in that middle distance affair.

Fair Grounds’ main track series for older horses continues with the Grade III Mineshaft Handicap Feb. 25 and concludes with the Grade II New Orleans Handicap at nine furlongs on Louisiana Derby Day April 1.

Alma d’Oro, conditioned by five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, finished seventh in Churchill’s Grade I Clark Handicap in his last start Nov. 25 but will have the riding services of John Velazquez in the Louisiana Handicap. That Puerto Rican-born reinsman was aboard when Alma d’Oro finished second by a half-length in Churchill’s Grade III Ack Ack Handicap Nov. 4.

Columbine Stable’s Glenwood Canyon, cross-entered in Saturday’s Col. Bradley Handicap, is the 7-2 second choice in the Louisiana Handicap morning line and is assigned 118 pounds with Jamie Theriot named aboard. The Silver Deputy gelding finished fourth in the $125,000 Delta Mile at Delta Downs in his last start and was third behind Alma d’Oro in the Ack Ack before that.

Completing the Louisiana Handicap field, with respective jockeys and weights assigned, is: Jim Tafel’s Fast Alex, Robby Albarado (120); Terry Hamilton and Robert Morgan’s Gleam of Hope, Corey Lanerie (119); Zollars and Wagner’s Thiskyhasnolimit, Shane Sellers (118); Hugh Zurkulen’s Harmonizer, Rosie Napravnik (115); Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s Stay Put, Shaun Bridgmohan (115); Jay Em Ess Stable’s Worldly, Miguel Mena (114); and Danny Keene’s Heavenville, Jermaine Bridgmohan (111).