Buggin Out, Ira Get to Shine in Alabama-Bred Stakes

Two Alabama-bred stakes took center stage on Friday afternoon at Fair Grounds Race Course. In the $50,000 Magic City for 3-year-olds and upward over a mile and 70 yards, Dennis Murphy’s Kenneth Hargrave-trained Buggin Out led gate to wire and obliged the wagering public as its prohibitive favorite. The son of Indy went wire-to-wire to a 7¼-length victory in a time of 1:43.61. Under leading rider James Graham, Buggin Out paid $3.60, $2.60 and $2.40. Defending Magic City champ Busted Account paid $5.60 and $4 in the place spot and Joyce’s Buckaroo rounded out the top three, paying $8.60 to show.

Jerry Hackett’s Ira won the $25,000 Kudzu Juvenile under Forest Boyce after an outside trip that saw the 2-year-old gelding lose ground while 3- and 4-wide. The daughter of J Be K won the first race of her career in the Kudzu in what was her sixth start for trainer Randy Nunley and paid $8.40, $4 and $2.80. A very green A Bandit Walking was second under Abel Lezcano paying $6 and $4.60 and Mide as Well paid $5.40 to show. Ira covered the 5½ furlongs in 1:07.21.

PROMISING MAIDEN VICTORY FOR TIZNOW R J

The first two-turn open race for juveniles did not disappoint in providing a promising prospect for the classics on Thursday afternoon. Mike McCarty’s Tiznow R J – a handsome, well built son of Tiznow – went wire to wire comfortably by an eye-catching 13 ¼ lengths. Sent off as the 5-2 second-choice behind Fox Hill Farm’s first-time starter Bluff, the Florida-bred won with ease under a hand ride, despite looking green down the stretch and not changing leads until well within the final eighth of a mile.

MILE RACES RETURN TO FAIR GROUNDS SUNDAY

Fair Grounds Race Course will begin carding and running one-mile races on the main track starting on Sunday, December 12, in an effort to provide more options to local horsemen. Owing to the layout of the dirt course, one-mile races will begin and end at the sixteenth-pole in order to avoid a short run into the first turn. There is one race carded on Sunday at one mile, the first race of the day at 1:25 p.m.