Sweet Ruston Has Burgess Smiling

Trainer Mike Burgess was all smiles back at his Fair Grounds barn Saturday morning, enjoying the post-race afterglow of Sweet Ruston’s 3 1/2-length win in Friday’s filly division of Fair Grounds’ $107,125 Louisiana Futurity.

“She came back good,” Burgess said of the Richard Ringo-owned filly. “She was bouncing all around like she never even raced yesterday, and that surprised me a little bit because she had a little temp last week.”

Asked if Sweet Ruston, who has never been farther than six furlongs, would be pointed toward a start at two turns in her future, Burgess said, “She’s very fast away from the gate, but I don’t see anything that would stop this filly from stretching out. The ($75,000) Crescent City Oaks (March 25) could be in her future.”

Burgess saddled Ringo’s Morning Memory to win the Louisiana Futurity for fillies two years ago and saddled Ashby Thoroughbreds and Cajun Racing’s Geniesthreewishes to finish second in last year’s edition.

“Mr. Ringo does everything first class,” said Burgess of his New Year’s Eve celebration following Sweet Ruston’s victory. “He took us all downtown to a show at the Royal Sonesta. It’s all about having a good time and enjoying life with him.”

Klaravich Stable and William Lawrence’s Populist Politics, 1 3/4-length hero of the colts and geldings division of Friday’s $109,825 Louisiana Futurity, also came back well and was doing well Saturday morning, trainer Tom Amoss said. Amoss had indicated during a post-race interview Friday that if his colt shows the ability to stretch out that the ($75,000) Crescent City Derby (March 25) might be a “logical place to go.”