Decisive Moment Still On Derby Trail

Just for Fun Stable’s Decisive Moment, fifth in the Grade II Risen Star Stakes after making the pace, has completely recovered from a slight soft tissue injury in his left hind, trainer Juan Arias said Sunday morning when speaking over the phone from Calder Race Course.

“We X-rayed him and did an ultrasound on him and he came out clean,” said Arias. “He’s back in training now and we’re looking for another race for him at the end of March.

“The (Grade II) Louisiana Derby (March 26) is definitely one of the races under consideration for him,” said Arias of Decisive Moment, who won the $250,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs on Jan. 14. “We were treated very well by everyone at Fair Grounds when we came down there for the Risen Star and would love to come back to New Orleans.”

DECISION DUE MIDWEEK ON MUCHO MACHO MAN  

On the morning after the Grade II Risen Star Stakes, winning trainer Kathy Ritvo estimated that it would be about a week before a decision would be made about when and where Mucho Macho Man, owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Dream Team One Racing, would make his next start, but on Sunday morning she demurred.

“Mucho Macho Man is doing great today,” Ritvo said, speaking over the phone from South Florida, “but we just need a couple of more days to decide what’s next. We’ll probably have something decided by Wednesday.”