FAIR GROUNDS NOTES & THANKSGIVING STAKES RECAP

By Michael Adolphson —-

• Cedartown Gives Stidham First Godolphin Stake, Aims to FG Series
• Change of Equipment for Forevamo
• Finley’sluckycharm Back in Calhoun Barn

CEDARTOWN GIVES STIDHAM FIRST GODOLPHIN STAKE, AIMS TO FG SERIES

When Godolphin began spreading its American stock a little more about two years ago, it was hoping for a scenario similar to Wednesday afternoon at Zia Park. Mike Stidham-trained Fair Grounds-based 3-year-old Cedartown carried its royal blue silks to victory in his first stakes tally for the powerful operation, the $200,000 Zia Park Derby at its namesake course in New Mexico.

“It was a really nice win,” Stidham said. “It’s our first stakes win for Godolphin and we hope for many more. The horse has been a later-developing type and he ran a great race. I loved that, other than losing a little ground on the turn, he had an outside post and was close enough to the front. The track hadn’t been speed favoring, but you had to be within range at the three-eighths pole to have a shot and we had the two favorites behind us. I loved where we wound up. He got a great ride and really kicked in.

“I’m hoping he’ll be good enough for the stakes races here,” Stidham continued. “As long as he comes out of the race okay, we’ll continue on with him. We haven’t rushed him to this point and really let him develop and it’s paid off, obviously. We’re hoping he’s good enough for the (Grade II $400,000) New Orleans Handicap by March.”

The son of Candy Ride (Arg) won for the second consecutive time, following an adjudged allowance at Keeneland on Oct. 20, and for the third time in six tries. Yet to finish out of the exacta, the $620,000 Fasig-Tipton March 2016 purchase has flourished since the summer. He is out of the Songandaprayer mare Talking and Singing and is a three-quarter brother to three-time graded stakes winner Danzing Candy.

CHANGE OF EQUIPMENT FOR FOREVAMO

Brittlyn Stable’s Grade II-placed stakes winner Forevamo returns to action after more than six months on Sunday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, but the well-bred son of Uncle Mo will do so after a considerable change of equipment. The Al Stall Jr. trainee has been gelded and his conditioner has seen positive returns from such a deduction.

“He was becoming hard on himself and it was becoming an issue,” Stall said. “He’s become much easier to deal with and is training well. I’m looking forward to getting him going again.”

Unraced since finishing last in a roughly run, sloppy renewal of the Grade II Churchill Downs Stakes on Kentucky Derby day, the bay charge has often performed well on his home New Orleans oval, including a strong runner-up effort behind eventual world’s best Gun Runner in the Grade II Risen Star of 2016, but is still searching for his first Fair Grounds victory. In five local tries, he has three seconds, a third and a fifth, which came in the 2016 Grade II Louisiana Derby.

Forevamo signaled his readiness with a sharp half-mile move on Nov. 11 from the gate, finishing up in 47.80, the fourth-best of 85 moves at the distance. He returned again on Nov. 19 to breeze a half-mile in 48.80, ninth of 52.

FINLEY’SLUCKYCHARM BACK IN CALHOUN BARN

Carl R. Moore’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint ninth-place finisher Finley’sluckycharm has returned to the barn of trainer Bret Calhoun, according to her conditioner. The daughter of Twirling Candy has no immediate plans other than to point toward another try next year in the Grade I $1-million event when it will be held at her spring and summer base, Churchill Downs.

Considered one of the top female sprinters in the country, the dark bay 4-year-old won four of six starts in 2017, including Keeneland’s Grade II Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes, Churchill’s trio of the Grade III Chicago Handicap, Grade III Winning Colors Stakes and Roxalena Overnight Stakes. Based in the winter at Fair Grounds her previous two years, she graduated in a Dec. 26, 2015 maiden special weight at first asking and was seventh in the Grade II Rachel Alexandra Stakes, her lone serious try around two turns.

By Brian W, Spencer

SECOND COURSE ALL GRAVY FOR YOCKEY’S WARRIOR IN THANKSGIVING REPEAT

NEW ORLEANS (November 23, 2017) – For the second consecutive year, Yockey’s Warrior was much the best in the $72,000 Thanksgiving Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Owned by trainer Al Stall Jr. in partnership with Stewart Madison, Steve Landry, Matt Bernard, and Joel Broussard, the dark bay 5-year-old son of Warrior’s Reward sat comfortably in second under regular rider Miguel Mena, stalking pacesetter Blue Wings through a first quarter in 22.88. Taking over turning for home after a half-mile in 46.43, he quickened nicely to overpower his rivals by five lengths in the end, finishing up six furlongs in 1:09.60.

“He’s such a nice horse,” Mena said. “Al and his team have done a tremendous job with him. I tapped him on the shoulder and he sprinted home and was an easy winner.”

“That was his best race I’ve ever seen,” Stall added. “He left there on his toes and had his game face on. When he did that, I knew he was going to be tough to beat. He had a throat procedure this summer during his time off and it seems to have really helped him. I think he’ll be better this year than last year.”

Brittlyn Stable’s Ron Faucheux-trained graded stakes winner Chublicious was a hard-trying second after tracking the winner throughout under Jose Validivia Jr., finishing 3½ lengths clear of Joe Sharp-trained Blue Wings under Adam Beschizza. Chublicious, recently privately purchased, and was making his first start for his new connections.

“I was pleased and I think he ran his race,” Faucheux said. “He was fit and ready, but I really just think Al’s horse was ready to run and we were second-best today. I was happy with the trip he got and was pleased with it all. My horse hadn’t run in a while and it was his first time over this surface. Plus, he ran such a huge race last time (winning the Grade III DeFrancis Memorial Dash in September).”

The order of finish was completed by Charming Deputy. Mesoma did not finish and both The Truth Or Else and Wyeth were scratched.

Winning his seventh race from 14 starts, Yockey’s Warrior paid $3.80, $2.20 and $2.10, earning $45,000 to increase his career bankroll to $315,270. Chublicious paid $2.40 and $2.10, while Blue Wings paid $2.80.

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, LA, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 11 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 146th Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 105thrunning of the Louisiana Derby – will run from November 18, 2017 through March 31, 2018. More information can be found online atwww.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.

Cover Photo: Yockey’s Warrior; Hodges Photography/Amanda Hodges Weir