Calhoun holds another pair of 3-year-old aces at Fair Grounds

Last year at this time, trainer Bret Calhoun had a pair of promising 3-year-olds in the barn at the Fair Grounds in By My Standards and Mr. Money, both for Allied Racing Stable LLC. The former upset the Louisiana Derby (G2), while the latter went to take down a quartet of graded stakes. 

Only time will tell what the future holds, but fast forward 12 months and Calhoun has another pair of potential aces housed under his New Orleans shedrow in Allied Racing Stable LLC’s Mailman Money and Tom Durant’s Digital.

Following a 24-1 upset win in his career debut at Churchill Downs in November, a race in which he defeated an even-money favorite Digital, Mailman Money stretched out successfully at Fair Grounds in a first level allowance race over 1 mile and 70 yards on Jan. 12. Bumped at the break and forced wide around both turns, the 3-year-old son of Goldencents sat third early, took control off the turn for home and opened up to win by a convincing 5 ¾ lengths, stamping himself worthy of joining the 2020 Kentucky Derby trail.

In his first serious move since that local route win, Mailman Money breezed a half mile in 49.60 on Jan. 24. Per Calhoun, the plan is for him to return to the work tab this weekend. If all goes well, he will make his stakes debut in the Risen Star (G2) on Feb. 15.

“He’s always been solid in the mornings,” Calhoun said of Mailman Money. “I think he’s along the same lines as By My Standards was in the fact that they were both physically and mentally immature early on. They got better as they grew up a little bit. This horse has surprised us being two for two. Physically and mentally he’s not where I know he will be soon. That gives us a lot of confidence and optimism going forward into the Risen Star.”

Once again odds on in his second career start on Dec. 28 at Fair Grounds, Digital wasn't denied again. Sitting fourth of nine early on behind hot fractions on a muddy track, he made a bold move in the stretch and ran by Steely Danza to win by 1 ¾ lengths. Asked to tackle a route of ground for the first time in a Jan. 18 allowance, Digital was in a position to win at the top of the stretch, only to be held at bay by the pacesetter and likely Risen Star participant Blackberry Wine. The final time of 1:43.22 was slightly faster than the featured Lecomte (G3) later in the day.

Calhoun indicated that Digital should have his first work back this weekend.

“He’s a horse that is a little lighter physically,” the trainer said. “He needs a little more time between works and races. He came out of the race good. The first couple of days afterwards you could tell he was a little tired. He’s bounced back well though.”