Mo Tom Works Nice Half-Mile for Risen Star

G M B Racing’s Mo Tom worked a nice half-mile in 48.20 for trainer Tom Amoss, signaling his fitness level in what was his first work since taking the Grade III $200,000 Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 16 by 2 ¼ lengths. Amoss indicated that he was pleased with the drill and that the dark bay colt is on course for the second of three Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Kentucky Derby preps – the Grade II $400,000 Veterans Ford Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 20

Now a two-time stakes winner, Mo Tom also won the $80,000 Street Sense Stakes on Nov. 1 at Churchill Downs over G M B Racing-owned and Dallas Stewart-trained Tom’s Ready. The two charges are owned by Gayle Benson, the wife of New Orleans Saints of the National Football League and New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association owner Tom Benson, and each once again filled out the exacta in the Lecomte. They are both being aimed for a fourth meeting in the Risen Star, according to their respective conditioners.

LEIGH COURT LIKELY FOR MARDI GRAS

Canadian champion Leigh Court is likely for the $60,000 Mardi Gras Stakes on Feb. 9, according to trainer Mike Stidham and the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots stakes coordinator Amber Fontenot. The Mardi Gras will be the launch for a 6-year-old campaign for the 2013 Sovereign Award winner for top Canadian 3-year-old filly.

Purchased for $1 million by Speedway Stable following her 2014 campaign in which she won two graded stakes from only three starts, the daughter of Grand Slam made another triad of starts in 2015, including two tough losses in graded stakes sprints. In her lone career attempt at a turf sprint, she set a torrid pace in the Grade III $150,000 Royal North Stakes at Woodbine before losing a battle with Lael Stable’s top turf sprint mare Ageless by three-quarters of a length.

Markedly versatile, Leigh Court has won graded stakes on dirt, turf and synthetic courses and in both sprint and route races. According to the Stidham camp, a goal of returning to the Grade I $1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint – a race in which she was fifth in 2014 – is the focus of her campaign.

Leigh Court has been training well over the Fair Grounds surface, including a 48 flat half-mile move on Jan. 18, which was a near-bullet. A winner of seven of 15, she has only started six times since her championship campaign that saw her race nine times.

The Mardi Gras could draw a field fat with talent, with possibles currently including stakes winners Adrianne G, Eden Prairie and Thirteen Arrows. Allowance winners Angie’s Prim Lady, Pleasant Tales and Sugar Sweet add further depth to the possible field for the 5½-furlong turf dash.

FOREVER D’ORO COULD BE NEXT STAR FROM LEMONS FOREVER

For a broodmare with such a name, Kentucky Oaks winner Lemons Forever has not thrown any lemons thus far in her producing career. The dam of Grade I winner in Unbridled Forever and multiple Grade III winner Forever Unbridled – both owned by Charles Fipke and trained by Lemons Forever’s conditioner Dallas Stewart – the daughter of Lemon Drop Kid may have another on the rise from the same connections in Forever d’Oro.

Unlike his older sisters – both daughters of Unbridled’s Song – Forever d’Oro is a son of Medaglia d’Oro and like a lot of his offspring, is taking a little more time to come to himself.

“He’s a slow-developing colt,” Stewart said. “He has the talent, but we’ve taken our time with him. He’s hopefully ready to go five-eighths soon.”

Forever d’Oro has impressed in the mornings, including two bullets in his last four works. On Jan. 4 he worked a sharp three furlongs in 36.40 and on Jan. 26 shot a bullet half in 48.60.

WORK TAB

G M B Racing’s Mo Tom worked a half-mile in 48.20 on Saturday in his first work back since taking the Grade III $200,000 Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 16. The son of flourishing sire Uncle Mo is on course for the Grade II $400,000 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 20.

Midwest Thoroughbreds Eclipse Award finalist The Pizza Man worked five furlongs in company in 1:01.40 for trainer Roger Brueggemann on Saturday morning. The Grade I-winning son of English Channel is slated to compete in next Saturday’s Grade I $350,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap at its namesake course.

Local favorite and multiple graded stakes winner Chocolate Ride worked a half-mile on Saturday in 50 flat for trainer Brad Cox and owner Wentworth Brochu, LLC. The son of Candy Ride will run next in the Grade III $125,000 Fair Grounds Handicap – a race he won impressively in 2015.

Three Diamonds Farm’s multiple graded stakes-placed Roman Approval, second last out in the Grade III $125,000 Col. E. R. Bradley Handicap on Jan. 16, worked a half-mile in 49 flat for trainer Mike Maker on Saturday.

Cobra Farm and Gary Vandeweghe’s stakes-winning Fila Primera returned to the work tab two weeks after a game fourth in the $60,000 Marie G. Krantz Memorial on Jan. 16, working a half-mile in 50.60 for trainer Mike Stidham on Sundaymorning.

Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s stakes-winning One King’s Man, a romping winner in a state-bred conditioned allowance field last out, worked a half-mile in 51 flat on Saturday for trainer Joe Sharp.

Talented Louisiana-bred sophomore Half Cajun worked a half-mile in 49 flat for Sweet Hodges and owner Stacey Moak on Saturday. The 2-for-2 Louisiana Futurity winner is likely aiming toward next weekend’s Louisiana Premier Night at Delta Downs.

Dare to Dream Stable’s Louisiana Champions Day Sprint winner Jockamo’s Song, fourth last out in the $70,000 Fremont Stakes at Delta Downs going a mile, worked a bullet four furlongs in 47 flat on Saturday for trainer Mike Stidham.

Charles Fipke’s Pleasant Tales, a multiple Grade I-performing Dallas Stewart trainee, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 on Sunday.

Carolyn Friedberg and Jeff T. Larson’s Inconclusive, a sharp allowance winner on Jan. 8 over the Stall-Wilson turf course, finished her preparations for Friday’s $50,000 Joseph E. ‘Spanky’ Broussard Stakes with a half-mile drill in 49.20 for trainer Richie Scherer.

Midwest Thoroughbreds’ promising 2-for-2 allowance winner Quijote worked five furlongs in a bullet 58.80 for trainer Tom Amoss on Sunday. The gelded son of Pomeroy has earned Equibase Speed Figures of 99 and 96 for his two wins this meet.

Source: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots