Fair Grounds Barn Notes

By Michael Adolphson —-

• Bobby’s Wicked One Wins With Style on Debut
• Pretty Lady Shows Pedigree and Class in Graduation
• Cutter Helm Regroups, Points to Another Maiden

BOBBY’S WICKED ONE WINS WITH STYLE ON DEBUT

Yet another promising juvenile was unveiled on Saturday afternoon at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots as Al Stall Jr. trainee Bobby’s Wicked One ran big on debut for owner Autumn Hill Farms Racing Stables in the day’s ninth race. Sitting comfortably behind horses in fourth, the chestnut colt picked up nicely in the lane under Miguel Mena, went after leader Drena’s Star in late stretch and overpowered said rival to win by three-quarters of a length, earning a 97 Equibase Speed Figure in the process.

“He’s your typical Speightstown colt,” Stall said. “He’s not the biggest horse in the world but he’s solid and has muscle mass. He’s very salty in the barn. He was ready in early November, but we decided to wait for Fair Grounds. The owner Bobby Guidry is a local and we wanted to run him at home.”

“He’s been schooling and the hole was closing, so I had to take him out and he really responded,” Mena added. “He’s been showing a lot in the morning. He likes to fight.”

Bred by Ramona Bass in Kentucky, Bobby’s Wicked One is out of the Ghostzapper mare Wicked Charm, who is a half-sister to 2007 champion turf horse English Channel. The winner was purchased for $130,000 at Keeneland September 2016 and is a full sibling to winner Abracadabra.

PRETTY LADY SHOWS PEDIGREE AND CLASS IN GRADUATION

The powerful stable of Mark Casse got one in the win column for the first time this meet when highly regarded juvenile filly Pretty Lady won Saturday’s sixth race, a maiden special wight going a mile on the Stall-Wilson turf course. Making her third career start, the dark bay filly overcame post 10 in the 11-filly field under Jose Valdivia Jr. and ultimately proved too good, despite a wide trip.

Assistant trainer David Carroll and owner Mike Hall of Breeze Easy LLC were on hand for the victory.

“I thought it was a very nice race and we’re happy to get the win,” Carroll said. “She didn’t have the greatest of trips. She was wide in first turn and wide all the way down the backside then was wide on the second turn. Jose came back and said he couldn’t get her covered up but once she turned for home she just was too good for the other fillies. She’s a progressive filly and we really like her. She was the best in race and I think she’ll get better as we stretch her out.”

A daughter of late sire Scat Daddy, Pretty Lady is out of the Smart Strike mare Classic Strike, making her a full-sister to millionaire and multiple graded stakes winner Handsome Mike, as well as a half-sister to Union Strike, who landed the Grade I Del Mar Debutante last year. She was purchased for $550,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s March 2017 sale.

Long well-regarded this fall, the maiden win was her third try and came after a second on debut and a fifth in the Grade I Natalma Stakes — both on Woodbine’s E. P. Taylor turf course. She earned an 84 Equibase Speed Figure in her Saturday tally.

CUTTER HELM REGROUPS, POINTS TO ANOTHER MAIDEN

One of the more impressive victories by a juvenile this Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots season thus far was one that was taken away when OXO Equine’s Mike Stidham-trained Cutter Helm flashed home in front on Opening Day. Disqualified to second for interference with eventual second-place finisher Much Trouble, the son of Super Saver showed considerable class on debut, leading nearly throughout and finishing strongly under Jack Gilligan and earning an 87 Equibase Speed Figure.

“He came out well,” Stidham said. “We’ll regroup and put him back in (another maiden). We really think he has talent and he showed that.”

Out of the Fit to Fight mare Fight to Love, Cutter Helm was purchased for $150,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale and was bred by Hargus Sexton, Sandra Sexton, Tom Bozarth and Silver Fern Farm. He is a half-brother to Capo Bastone, who won the Grade I King’s Bishop Stakes at Saratoga in 2013.