Gantry Points to Bonapaw, Jumelaka Steps Up
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Brittlyn Stable’s Gantry silenced his doubters on Thursday afternoon as he returned to form with poise and defeated a tough turf allowance field that included two other graded stakes winners – Mike McCarty’s Unbridled’s Note and End Zone Athletics’ Sum of the Parts. Ridden for the first time by Miguel Mena, who was substituting for injured regular pilot Richard Eramia, the son of Pulpit was confidently handled over a surface upon which his dam – multiple stakes winner Rhum – excelled best.
“He came out really well,” trainer Ron Faucheux reported on Friday morning. “It was nice to have him back. He’s no worse for wear today. I’ll probably run in the Bonapaw, then we’ll take it from there.”
The allowance victory was especially fulfilling for his connections considering the 7-year-old gelding had shown little in the Thanksgiving Handicap – a race he had won twice – two weeks prior and was wheeled back in hopes that he would return to his best form.
The $60,000 Bonapaw Stakes on Jan. 3 is over the same 5½-furlong course and distance as his Thursday victory, as well as his only other victory of 2014 – the $60,000 Colonel Power Stakes. The win was Gantry’s 11th in 27 starts, increased his earnings to $848,331 and made the dark bay war horse a perfect two-for-two over the local turf course.
MCPEEK INVADES CHAMPIONS DAY WITH JUMELAKA
Trainer Kenny McPeek’s stable must always be respected – especially when they ship to the Fair Grounds. The conditioner who has both a Louisiana Derby and Fair Grounds Oaks trophy to his credit will bring in Magdalena Racing’s Jumelaka for Saturday’s $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Lassie and he hope he can take another trophy home with him from the New Orleans oval.
“She’s doing well,” McPeek said. “She’d been in Kentucky for a while after her last race, so it was easy enough to get her down to the Fair Grounds. It’s a good spot for her.”
A daughter of Grade I Santa Anita Handicap runner-up Neko Bay from the family of champion Althea, the Louisiana-bred comes from a family flush with stamina influences. Still, she has shown sharp speed in her three races, including a second in a starter allowance last out at Aqueduct in which she caught in the final strides.
“She’s fast, there’s no doubt about it,” McPeek said. “I would like to see her not be one-dimensional, though. (Jockey) Chris (Landeros) is good with those types of horses. I’ll leave it up to him.”
Landeros will break from post five in a 12-horse field with the dark bay filly. She is listed as the 4-1 second choice, behind stakes-winning 5-2 morning line favorite Vivian Da Bling, and will receive Lasix for the first time.
Source: Fair Grounds Communications
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