Fair Grounds news: Cedartown takes next step in Mineshaft Handicap
The ever-improving Cedartown will be taking things to the next level when he makes his graded stakes debut in Saturday’s Gr. III $150,000 Mineshaft Handicap.
Owned by Godolphin LLC, the 4-year-old son of Candy Ride (Arg.) enters the Mineshaft Handicap off of a pair of stakes victories in the Zia Park Derby in New Mexico and the Louisiana Stakes on Jan. 13. Trainer Mike Stidham is confident that Cedartown has what it takes for this caliber and has his eyes set on the Gr. II $400,000 New Orleans Handicap at the end of the Winter Meet.
“He’s certainly climbed up the ladder nicely and we hope that he can take the next step to graded stakes level,” Stidham said. “We hope that leads him into the New Orleans Handicap. That was our goal from early last summer to try and hope that he would be good enough for that race. When he started running well and his numbers were climbing, I told (President of Godolphin’s Untied States division) Jimmy Bell that I would love to run in the New Orleans Handicap. Obviously there’s a hometown connection so I would love to win that race.”
A $620,000 purchase at the Fasig –Tipton Sale in March 2016, Cedartown is a three-quarters brother to three-time graded stakes winner Danzing Candy. He has never finished worse than second in seven career starts. He breaks from the rail under jockey Joe Bravo as the 8-5 morning line favorite.
CASSE HAS DUBAI IN MIND FOR COLONEL POWER ENTRANT HOLDING GOLD
Live Oak Plantation’s Holding Gold makes his seasonal bow in Saturday’s $50,000 Colonel Power Overnight Stakes. Should the son of Lonhro (Aus.) put up a solid effort in the five-and-a-half furlong event over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course, trainer Mark Casse will likely send him overseas next out in the Al Quoz Sprint (UAE-I) at Meydan Racecourse on Mar. 31.
“My hope is to take him to Dubai,” Casse said. “I was a little concerned with the (Breeders’ Cup) Turf Sprint being at Churchill Downs that it might be five furlongs but now it’s five-and-a-half.”
Holding Gold will be making his first start since a close seventh in the Gr. I Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar, where he was beaten 1¾ lengths. He was beaten by the same amount in his two starts prior, which took place in the Gr. II Turf Monster Stakes at Parx Racing where he finished sixth and Saratoga’s Troy Stakes on Aug. 6. Last spring he took the Gr. III Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland over graded stakes winners Green Mask and Hogy.
“He’s really good and runs well off the layoff,” Casse said. “If you watch the Breeders’ Cup, he galloped out in front after the race about twenty yards past the wire. I think five-eighths is just a touch short for him so that’s why we sent him to New Orleans from Florida.”
Holding Gold will break from post five as the 8-5 morning line favorite under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.
BRISSETT DISCUSSES OPTIONS WITH QUIP
Trainer Rodolphe Brissett has been working promising 3-year-old Quip at the Fair Grounds all winter, but the son of Distorted Humor’s sophomore debut may take place elsewhere.
Brissett stated that either the Gr. III $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct or the Gr. II $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby, both on Mar. 10, are potential options.
“It gives us enough time to be ready,” Brissett said. “Week by week we’ll play it by ear. He’s been doing well. He came back great after his five-eighths work (1:00.00 on Sunday morning).”
Owned by WinStar Farm LLC, China Horse Club International and SF Racing LLC, Quip won his first two starts which took place at Churchill Downs and Keeneland. He has not run since a seventh-place finish in the Gr. II Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 25.