FAIR GROUNDS: COX AND MAKER DOUBLE UP AGAIN IN BRADLEY CLASH

By Michael Adolphson —-

New Orleans, La.—- The first of three graded turf stakes of Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots’ 2016-17 season for older horses stars GenStar Thoroughbreds’ Brad Cox-trained local favorite Chocolate Ride, who seeks a repeat in the Grade III $125,000 Colonel E. R. Bradley over 1 1/16 miles of the Stall-Wilson turf course. Receiving the short end of the stick in a four-horse photo-finish last out in the $75,000 Diliberto Memorial over the same conditions, he is again joined by Marc Detampel-owned stablemate Western Reserve, who defeated the 6-5 favorite by a neck when victorious in said event. Florent Geroux again has the mount on six-time Stall-Wilson winner Chocolate Ride from post six, while Shaun Bridgmohan again rides Western Reserve from post three.

The remaining two in said blanket finish also return in the Mike Maker-trained Greengrassofyoming, who was second by a nose for owner Michael Hui, and Granny’s Kitten, who was another nose back in third for Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey. Robby Albarado and Miguel Mena have the return mounts from posts five and nine, respectively.

The iron horse in both coat and courage of the field is Hillerich Racing and trainer Bernie Flint’s homebred One Mean Man, who enters on three weeks’ rest after taking the $74,000 Woodchopper Stakes on New Year’s Eve. Making his first start against older horses, the gray son of Mizzen Mast won five stakes in 2016, including two over this course. Regular rider Albarado being unavailable, the mount on the seven-time winner goes to James Graham from post four.

The remainder of the field is comprised of Rocket Time (Colby Hernandez, rail), track record setter Blarp (David Flores, post two) and Diliberto also-rans Glorious Empire (IRE) (Gabriel Saez, post seven) and Pumpkin Rumble (Mitchell Murrill, post eight).

Earlier in the card, eight older horses will go 1 1/16-miles on the main track in the Listed $75,000 Louisiana Stakes, where DARRS, Inc.’s Honorable Duty will try to go 2-for-2 in stakes at the meet for trainer Brendan Walsh after winning the $75,000 Tenacious Stakes with an impressive re-rally over a mile and 70 yards last out on Dec. 17. James Graham retains the mount from post seven on the 5-year-old gelded son of Distorted Humor.

A slew of graded stakes-level horses challenge, including Michael Langford’s veteran 7-year-old Carve and Stonestreet Stables’ Iron Fist — each trained by Steve Asmussen. Carve is unraced since finishing off the board in the Grade III Lone Star Park Handicap on May 30, but has been working well locally. Shaun Bridgmohan picks up the mount from post four. Ricardo Santana, Jr., flies in to ride Iron Fist from the outside post, who exits a head victory in 7½-furlong Churchill Downs allowance company on Nov. 27.

Graded stakes-placed Seeking the Soul (Florent Geroux, rail), Tenacious runner-up Raagheb (Mitchell Murrill, post two), 2014 Tenacious winner and Bradley cross-enter Rocket Time (Colby Hernandez, post three), Louisiana Derby third Dazzling Gem (Robby Albarado, post five) and Grade II-placed Hawaakom (Miguel Mena, post six) complete the field.

The sextet of stakes on Saturday’s card kicks off with the $75,000 Duncan F. Kenner Stakes, which goes as the fifth race and features six talented older sprinters going six furlongs. Yockey’s Warrior, owned by trainer Al Stall, Jr., along with Stewart Madison and partners, is arguably the horse to beat on the strength of his 2¼-length victory over identical conditions in the $75,000 Thanksgiving Handicap on Nov. 24. Miguel Mena retains the mount from the rail post.

Graded stakes winners Clearly Now and Holy Boss pose serious threats to the aforementioned 5-year-old. Owned by Brittlyn Stable and trained by Ron Faucheux, Clearly Now has been training well locally and was third in the Thanksgiving after an inside trip. The beaten even-money favorite in last year’s Kenner, 7-year-old Clearly Now has drawn the rail in four of his five tries since joining Faucheux, but has drawn better in the five-hole. Richard Eramia, aboard for the first time last time, retains the mount. Jerry Durant’s Holy Boss brings a significant amount of back-class to the field for trainer Steve Asmussen, having won the Grade II Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga as a sophomore in 2015 and finishing second three back in the Grade I Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, also at The Spa. Ricardo Santana, Jr. rides from post four.

The remainder of the field is comprised of stakes winners Chief Istan (Mitchell Murrill, post six) and Bayerd (Florent Geroux, post three), as well as improving Louisiana-bred Guess Who Charlie (Gabriel Saez, post two).

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the nation’s third-oldest racetrack, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 11 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 145th Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 104th running of the Louisiana Derby – will run from November 2016 through April 2017. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.