Maker Expects International Star to Run Much Better in New Orleans

It is easy to see that trainer Mike Maker is a fan of his pupil International Star when they interact. Understated by nature, Maker is quick to smile when he is near the bay colt’s barn and proud of what the 4-year-old has accomplished. An honest horse who has made over a million dollars for owners Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey in his 12-race career, the son of Fusaichi Pegasus is giving Maker every indication that his dud of a performance last out when fourth of four in the Grade III $125,000 Mineshaft Handicap – his first loss in five races at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots – was a complete toss-out.

 

“I felt like there wasn’t a lot of pace in there last time,” Maker said. “I thought it was extremely slow for how the track that was playing that day. It didn’t work out, but he’s been training great and we’re back and ready to go again. I think he’s very effective from a mile and a sixteenth to a mile and an eighth and the post shouldn’t be too much of a bother, as long as he can make his run.”

 

International Star, who drew the rail, will be running nine furlongs on Saturday in the Grade II $400,000 New Orleans Handicap for the first time since running down Stanford in last year’s Grade II $750,000 Louisiana Derby and stamping himself as a serious Kentucky Derby contender. After being knocked off the Derby trail on the morning of the race, he has raced three times, including a mighty victory to kick off his 4-year-old campaign locally in the Listed $75,000 Louisiana Stakes. Four horses he beat that day – Eagle, Ride On Curlin, Coup de Grace and subsequent Mineshaft winner Majestic Harbor – return to return to face him on Saturday.

 

 

 

Before Wentworth Brochu’s highweighted Chocolate Ride was the house horse at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, winning four graded stakes, he was a horse who had not yet reached his potential due to problem feet for trainer Mark Casse. Lost in a claim that still disappoints the Casse team, he was picked up by Brad Cox in the fall of 2014 and the rest is history.

 

Fast-forward 16 months and Casse may have a chance at a bit of redemption when he starts one of his most talented turf horses against Chocolate Ride in Saturday’s Grade II $300,000 Muniz Memorial Handicap over 1 1/8 miles on the Stall-Wilson turf course. World Approval, a good-looking gray half-brother to multiple stakes winners – including Grade I horse Za Approval – was a two-time Grade III at three in 2015 at the Muniz’s nine-furlong distance and kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a flourish in a high-priced Gulfstream Park allowance/optional claiming event at the same trip. Showing a new dimension on the lead, the son of Northern Afleet easily dismissed seven others and earned a career-high 99 Beyer Speed Figure in the process.

 

“We gave him a break after his last race as a 3-year-old and brought him back and when he came back he acted like a different horse,” Casse said. “He trained better – a lot better. Before he was average even when he trained but was still running well in the afternoons.

 

“I was actually surprised to see him show the speed (at Gulfstream),” Casse continued. “There wasn’t a lot of speed in that race. It brings a new dimension to him and it makes him that much better. It looks like there’s a fair amount of speed in the Muniz, so hopefully we’ll be stalking.