Consistent Eagle Ready for Rematch With Majestic Harbor
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William S. Farish’s Eagle has been a picture of consistency in recent months for trainer Neil Howard. A son of Candy Ride who has been first or second in his last five races and in eight of 11 career starts, the attractive and compact chestnut will try to prove that he has what it takes to be a graded stakes winner in Saturday’s Grade II $400,000 New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Based locally, the homebred has been training forwardly for his rematch with Gallant Stable’s Majestic Harbor – a stalwart 8-year-old who outfought Eagle last out in the Grade III $125,000 Mineshaft Handicap – as well as his reacquainting with two-back conqueror, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s Mike Maker-trained International Star.
Still, confidence does not lack in his supporters, as the five-time winner and minor stakes victor has been established as the 2-1 morning-line favorite, despite his outside 10-post. Javier Castellano, the regular rider for Farish’s 2015 champion older horse Honor Code, picks up the mount from Brian Hernandez, Jr., who was aboard for his first 11 starts.
“All indications say that you never know until they do it, but I think he will like running a mile and an eighth (for the first time),” Howard said. “I’m thinking with his pedigree and running style, I wouldn’t see it as a problem. We won’t do anything than we have been doing with him. He always runs hard at the end and is versatile with his style. You can place him where you want him. We’ll wait and see and I’ll let Javier make those decisions.
“He really looked great breezing,” Howard continued. “He’s put on a little weight since the Mineshaft and I can definitely see where he’s held his flesh beautifully.”
ALL-GRADE II STAKES PICK-4 SATURDAY
With a 50-cent minimum bet, Saturday offers three Pick-4 sequences at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Starting in the seventh race (3:23 p.m. Central Time), the Grade II $400,000 New Orleans Handicap kicks off an all stakes – all four Grade II events – sequence that proceeds to the Grade II $300,000 Muniz Memorial Handicap on the Stall-Wilson turf course (Race 8), Grade II $400,000 TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (Race 9) – the top national Kentucky Oaks prep of the last decade – and ends with the meet centerpiece, the Grade II $1,000,000 TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby.
Source: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
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