Risen Star Still In the Plans for Texas Red

Trainer Keith Desormeaux, who keeps a local string at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, made it public this week that his stable star, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red, has the Grade II $400,000 Risen Star Stakes on his radar. The son of Afleet Alex drew post four of eight in his first race of the season, the Grade II $200,000 San Vicente Stakes over seven furlongs this Sunday at Santa Anita Park – a race after which he is supposed to wheel back on 20 days’ rest. Owned by a partnership that includes Desormeaux, Erich Brehm, et al, the massive bay plans to either point to the Grade I $1,000,000 Santa Anita Derby or Grade II $750,000 Louisiana Derby one week prior on Mar. 28 after the Risen Star. Of course, as with all things in racing, these plans are tentative.

Fox Hill Farm and trainer Larry Jones won the $50,000 Allen’s Landing Stakes at Sam Houston Park with Exodus and romped in a tough two-turn maiden with Bluff this week, thus creating a one-two sophomore punch for the potent owner/trainer team. While Exodus did not finish with the luster you often may associate with Kentucky Derby aspirations, it is worth noting that he was on 20 days’ rest and racing a furlong beyond what he had ever attempted. He earned an 89 Beyer Speed Figure – 2 points below his excellent maiden win on Jan. 4 at Fair Grounds.

Bluff could not have been more different than his speedy stablemate. A son of Tapit out of a full-sister to the longwinded Jockey Club Gold Cup and Pacific Classic winner Borrego, he rated kindly in his third attempt at graduating and then gave his best impression of The Hulk when smashing his rivals between the quarter- and eighth-poles to open up a 5½-length margin. He then returned to Bruce Banner, showing mercy while being eased in the final sixteenth to win by 5¾ facile lengths under Kerwin Clark. While Bluff may run in the Risen Star, the next start for Exodus has yet to be determined.

The one-two finishers from the six-furlong $50,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes both returned victoriously last weekend. Runner-up Bourbon Cowboy determinedly won an off-the-turf sprint for trainer Richie Scherer and owner Holmark Stables IV on Jan. 23. Expected to stretch out next out, the twice stakes-placed son of Cowboy Cal is not completely out of the picture for the Risen Star – though it is assumed that he is more likely for the $60,000 Black Gold Stakes over 7½ grassy furlongs one week later on Feb. 28.

Bourbon Cowboy’s Sugar Bowl conqueror Cinco Charlie made his two-turn debut a winning one a day later in the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Park for owners William and Corinne Heiligbrodt and trainer Steve Asmussen. The victory, which was his fifth stakes win – made it so the first three finishers from the Sugar Bowl all won their next start after Control Stake (mentioned last week) won the $75,000 Big Drama Stakes at Delta Downs in mid-January.

One horse who is likely for the Risen Star and possible for the Black Gold as a back-up is Rigney Racing’s Phil Bauer-trained Another Lemon Drop, who was a game fourth in the Grade III $200,000 Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 17. An effort that showed the son of Lemon Drop Kid flattening out slightly for the first time, he still made a bold bid on the turn and encouraged his connections to possibly give him one more try on the dirt – as he is already a proven commodity on the grass. Similarly, the connections of William S. Farish’s Neil Howard-trained Eagle are eager to forget the Lecomte and focus on the Risen Star for the beaten favorite.

LOVELY MARIA SERVES NOTICE

Trainer Larry Jones really did not need another talented sophomore filly to win impressively, but that did not stop the veteran conditioner from having Brereton C. Jones’ Lovely Maria upset heavily favored Shook Up in Monday’s featured allowance. Going wire to wire, the daughter of red-hot sire Majesticperfection looked nothing short of professional in what was her second win from five starts. Out of a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winning route mare Rare Blend, she has every right to keep improving while relishing more ground. The victory earned the attractive filly a notable 100 Equibase Speed Figure.

Regis Racing’s Shook Up ran greenly, while consistently lugging in and refusing to shift off the rail once she had room to rally. The plan, according to the Asmussen camp, is to stay the course with the regally bred daughter of Tapit and head to the Grade III $175,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Feb. 21. Said event could be the lone time in a promising career that one may get a price on the offspring of Grade I winner Sugar Shake who owns the highest two-turn Beyer Speed Figure (94) of any 3-year-old filly in the nation.

Back on the worktab Thursday morning was Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Top Decile, who negotiated a half-mile in :49.20 for trainer Al Stall, Jr. and owners Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence. Also possible for the Rachel Alexandra, it is assumed that her goal after such may actually be the Grade I $500,000 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland – a course she has shown she relishes when a game second in last year’s Grade I $400,000 Alcibiades Stakes – in lieu of the Grade II $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks on week prior on Mar. 28.

Speaking of disappointments from the Listed $125,000 Silvebulletday Stakes, West Coast Belle exited her fourth-place finish in fine order, with trainer Wayne Catalano saying she was simply outrun by victress I’m a Chatterbox, but should have been second. The previously undefeated Gary and Mary West homebred is to stay local for now while her connections decide her next step toward a possible Kentucky Oaks start.

"Rosie Day" Set for Feb. 21

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will hold a special celebration for four-time leading rider Rosie Napravnik on February 21. “Rosie Day” will coincide, fittingly, with Louisiana Derby Preview Day presented by Lamarque Ford, a day on which Napravnik captured three editions of the Grade III Mineshaft Handicap and three runnings of the Grade III Rachel Alexandra Stakes – including two with subsequent Grade I Kentucky Oaks winners Untapable and Believe You Can. 

Source: Fair Grounds Communications