Pegasus-placed Instilled Regard leads Fair Grounds' Muniz Memorial

A year after sending future champion Bricks and Mortar out in Fair Grounds' Grade 2, $300,000 Muniz Memorial, it's Instilled Regard who will look to go back to back for the barn in Saturday's turf feature at Fair Grounds.

Instilled Regard was third most recently in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25, with that effort following a half-length victory in the Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G2) in December at Gulfstream.

Instilled Regard, under Irad Ortiz Jr., drew post position No. 6 for the 1 1/8-mile Muniz Memorial, which goes on the Louisiana Derby (G2) undercard.

Brown had Ortiz aboard Bricks and Mortar a season ago as that horse exited a Pegasus victory, then went on to go unbeaten in 2019.

The barn has another entry in the race in Rockemperor, who will be making his first start since a sixth-place finish in the Saratoga Derby last August. The Irish-bred son of Holy Roman Emperor, who was Group 3-placed in France before coming stateside last year, will break from post No. 4 with Joel Rosario in the irons.

Instilled Regard isn't the only horse exiting the Pegasus Turf, too. Returning for a new barn in this spot is Henley's Joy. Winner of last year's Belmont Derby (G1), Henley's Joy attended the early pace in the Pegasus Turf before fading to seventh while with trainer Mike Maker.

Owned by Bloom Racing Stable, Henley's Joy was subsequently transferred to trainer Steve Asmussen. The son of Kitten's Joy will break from post No. 7 on Saturday with Ricardo Santana Jr. in the irons.

High-percentage trainer Brad Cox has a pair entered in Dot Matrix and Factor This. Dot Matrix, who will break from the rail under Florent Geroux, exits a win in the John B. Connally (G3) at Sam Houston Park on Jan. 26. Factor this is a 5-year-old gelding on the improve who most recently scored a front-running victory in the local Fair Grounds Stakes (G3) when going 1 1/8 miles.

Veteran graded stakes campaigner Channel Maker is also signed up. Trained by Bill Mott, Channel Maker just missed in last year's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) prior to finishing off the board in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

Following a nearly four-month layoff, Channel Maker returned to finish fourth behind Zulu Alpha in the Mac Diarmida (G2) at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 29.

Carded as Race 10, the Muniz Memorial has a post time of 4:42 p.m. ET.