Infrattini Readies for Louisiana ' Cap
Z Thoroughbreds’ Infrattini, a winner of his last three starts by a total of almost 15 lengths, is expected to answer another challenge as the starting high weight in Fair Grounds’ $100,000 Louisiana Handicap Jan. 19 during the local oval’s Road to the Derby Kickoff Day Presented by Hotel Monteleone.
The Louisiana Handicap, first leg of Fair Grounds’ three-race series for older horses on the main track, concludes with the Grade II New Orleans Handicap on Louisiana Derby Day, March 30.
“He’s been doing really good lately,” said trainer Paul McGee Friday morning during training hours when speaking of Infrattini, who tallied by 7 1/4-lengths in his last start on Thanksgiving Day at Churchill Downs. “I’ll probably breeze him one more time this Sunday and then we should be ready to go.”
Infrattini, a 5-year-old altered son of Include who has been assigned 121 pounds in the Louisiana Handicap, breezed five furlongs last Saturday in 1:00.60.
Next in the assigned weights at 119 pounds among those expected to start in the Louisiana Handicap is Brereton Jones’ Mark Valeski, who will be making his first start since winning Belmont’s Grade II Peter Pan last May 12. That 4-year-old Proud Citizen colt, runner-up in last spring’s Grade II Louisiana Derby as well as the Grade II Risen Star Stakes, breezed a bullet half-mile in 59.80 over sloppy going last Sunday at Fair Grounds despite being impeded and forced to alter course as a result of a training incident involving another horse.
Next in the weights among those expected to start in the Louisiana Handicap are E-Racing.Com and Kevin Jacobsen’s Eldaafer and Ike and Dawn Thrash’s Hurricane Ike – both with assigned weights of 118 pounds.
Eldaafar, an invader from Gulfstream Park, has not started since finishing unplaced in the Grade II Breeders’ Cup Marathon at Santa Anita Nov. 2 but before that was third, beaten less than two lengths, in the Grade II Hawthorne Gold Cup last Oct. 6.
Hurricane Ike, winner of Fair Grounds’ $75,000 Tenacious Handicap Dec. 15, also won Hoosier’s $100,000 Michael Schaefer Memorial Mile last Oct. 6.
Others expected for the Louisiana Handicap, with their corresponding weights, are Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Brethren (116), Gary and Mary West’s Self Control (116) and Raut LLC’s Macho Bull (112).