Eagle Flashes Bullet Work Ahead of Lecomte
William S. Farish’s Eagle stretched his legs and impressed onlookers Monday morning as he worked a bullet five furlongs in :59.80 over a good surface under regular rider Brian Hernandez, Jr. for trainer Neil Howard. The son of Candy Ride showed why he is on many Kentucky Derby ‘watch lists’ with a superb move that was 1.2 seconds faster than any of the remaining 62 workers at the distance.
“He did it really well,” Howard reported. “We didn’t talk about going in :59, but the track was sealed. So many works were a little snappier than they would have been. Brian also had a busy day, so we went first thing in the morning. Right now the (Grade III $200,000) Lecomte (Stakes on Jan. 17) is our plan and hopefully it works out.”
Monday’s work followed two easier moves on Dec. 20 (five furlongs in 1:01.60) and Dec. 12 (four furlongs in :49.40) since arriving from Kentucky. In his last start, the Farish homebred finished a flying third in the Grade II $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club at odds of nearly 9-1. One race prior to that, the short and muscular chestnut impressively won a two-turn allowance at Keeneland over Casner Racing’s highly regarded My Johnny Be Good, who in turn demolished a Tampa Bay Downs allowance field on Sunday by 14½ lengths in his first race since.
Three of Steve Asmussen’s top locally based 3-year-olds-to-be were busy on Monday morning. The promising Tiznow R J worked a solid five panels in 1:01.20 for owner Mike McCarty, while Clark Brewster’s Bayerd and William and Corinne Heiligbrodt’s Cinco Charlie also turned in moves over the New Orleans oval. All three works were over a good surface after overnight rain.
Of the triumvirate, Tiznow R J has the most to prove and possibly the most upside. Earning an 86 Beyer Speed Figure in his runaway 13 ¼-length two-turn maiden victory at Fair Grounds on Dec. 11, the long-striding son of Tiznow blossomed when given his first chance to go a distance of ground in what was his third start. According to Asmussen, the Florida-bred is the most likely of the three to run in the Grade III $200,000 Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 17. The Lecomte is contested at the same one-mile and 70-yard trip as his maiden romp.
Bayerd, who has been training impressively at Fair Grounds over the last month, exits a victory in the Listed $250,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park and went a leisurely four furlongs in :52.20 in his first work since said victory.
Four-time stakes winner Cinco Charlie, who earned an impressive 97 Beyer Speed Figure (seventh-highest of any 2-year-old all year) when winning the $50,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes locally on Dec. 20 had his first move since then, negotiating an easy half-mile in :52.60.
All three of the Asmussen ternion are to be nominated for the Fair Grounds’ sophomore series that culminates with the meet centerpiece Grade II $750,000 Louisiana Derby on Mar. 28.
Source: Fair Grounds Barn Notes