Next Race Plans Uncertain for Midnight On Oconee

The plans for Midnight On Oconee, who has finished a game second in both major stakes for sophomore fillies this season, are up in the air, according to trainer Larry Jones. The daughter of Midnight Lute and Cottonwood Stables homebred has raced six times in her carer and never finished worse than fourth. Last out, she was in front for most of the stretch after chasing a swift pace in the Grade II $200,000 Twinspires.com Rachel Alexandra Stakes before both the fractions and Venus Valentine caught up with her, resulting in a length loss.

 

“She’s doing fine,” Jones said. “I’m not sure what we’re going to do with her yet. It would likely be the Fair Grounds Oaks or the Ashland, but I don’t like the extra two weeks this year. I don’t want to wait that long for the Ashland. We’ll see. I have been sort of keeping her on the Lovely Maria path so far.”

 

The Kentucky-bred filly has indeed followed a similar path as Jones’ 2015 Kentucky Oaks winner, racing in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Fair Grounds, followed by an unplaced effort in the $100,000 Trapeze Stakes at Remington Park, a mile and 70-yard stretch out at Fair Grounds and then a runner-up effort in the Rachel Alexandra. The only differences between the two is that Midnight On Oconee won her six-furlong dash (Lovely Maria was second to the swift Toutsie Rules) and Lovely Maria raced and won a first-level allowance going a mile and 70 yards, while Midnight On Oconee was second in the Listed $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes at the same trip.

 

Lovely Maria would go on to impressively take the Grade I $500,000 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland en route to her aforementioned Kentucky Oaks win. In 2016, while the Ashland remains 27 days out from the Oaks, it is seven weeks after the Rachel Alexandra (as opposed to six).

 

 

 

Brittlyn Stable’s seven-time stakes winner Gantry, who was retired in September following a career that saw him win 11 of 32 and $855,401 in purses, has taken well to his new career as a pony for trainer Ron Faucheux. A six-time stakes winner at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the gelded 9-year-old son of Pulpit now leads his younger stablemates to the track in the morning.

 

“He’s been a pony for us throughout the whole meet after he got a little time following retirement,” Faucheux said. “Honestly the first day he took to it. My assistant, who has broken a bunch of ponies before, said he’s never had a horse take to it like he did. He’s sound and happy and really enjoys what he’s doing. It’s awesome having him around the barn still.”

 

Winner of the Grade II $400,000 Smile Sprint Handicap in 2012, Gantry won stakes on both dirt and turf and was graded stakes-placed on synthetic when second in the Grade III $175,000 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland in 2013. He ran 11 times at Fair Grounds, with six victories and four second-place finishes for Faucheux, including reeling off three consecutive sprint stakes wins during the 2011-12 meet – capped by a wickedly quick win in the Duncan F. Kenner, finishing six furlongs in 1:08.58. Gantry was ridden by Richard Eramia in 22 of 32 career, including a memorable victory in the 2013 Thanksgiving Handicap, when he defeated his graded stakes-winning half-brother Central Banker (by Speightstown) by a neck.

 

 

 

Claiborne Farm’s Lope, who ran a big race to lose by a head last out in the $50,000 Broussard Stakes on Feb. 5, worked a half-mile in 50 flat for trainer Al Stall, Jr.

 

Lightly raced but highly talented Zipessa continued working toward her comeback with a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 flat for trainer Mike Stidham. Owned by Empyrean Stables, the daughter of City Zip has started three times, with two victories and a non-placing in the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Oaks last out on Aug. 15.