Fair Grounds Barn Notes: Sunday, March 4

By Ryan Martin —-

• Gr. II Louisiana Derby Is An Option For Catholic Boy
• Monomoy Girl Returns To Work Tab
• Black Gold Winner Dragon Drew Will Point To Gr. III Transylvania

GRADE II LOUISIANA DERBY IS AN OPTION FOR CATHOLIC BOY

One can add Robert La Penta and Madaket Stables LLC’s Catholic Boy to a list of possible entrants for the Grade II $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (100-50-20-10) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots on Mar. 24.

On Saturday morning, the 3-year-old son of More Than Ready worked a half-mile in 48.40 at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala, Fla. for trainer Jonathan Thomas, who said that other options for his next start include the Gr. I $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park and the Gr. II $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. Both races award the Top 4 finishers points on a 100-40-20-10 scale on Churchill Downs’ Road To The Kentucky Derby.

“Right now those three races are all things we have to consider,” Thomas said.

Catholic Boy made his sophomore debut in the Gr. III Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs where he was second behind Flameaway. He currently sits at No. 12 on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 14 points. In addition to acquiring four points in the Sam F. Davis Stakes, he earned ten with a victory in the Gr. II Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct on Dec. 2.

Other possible contenders for the Louisiana Derby include Avery Island, Bravazo, Dark Templar, Snapper Sinclair, Lone Sailor, Retirement Fund, MG Warrior and Makin A Marc.

MONOMOY GIRL RETURNS TO WORK TAB

Gr. II Rachel Alexandra Stakes winner Monomoy Girl resumed serious business on Sunday morning with a half-mile breeze in :49.80 over the Fair Grounds main track.

“She breezed solo, but it was really easy,” trainer Brad Cox said. “It was just what we were looking for. She galloped out fantastic and cooled out well so everything’s great.”

The 3-year-old daughter of Tapizar remains on target for the Gr. I $400,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (100-40-20-10).

Other notable moves on the Sunday morning work tab include Pin Oak Stable’s Synchrony, who worked a half-mile in :49.80 for trainer Mike Stidham, who is pointing the 5-year-old son of Tapit to the Gr. II $300,000 Muniz Memorial Stakes on March. 24. The breeze was his first since a win in the Gr. III Fair Grounds Handicap on Feb. 17….. Gr. III Mineshaft Handicap winner The Player drilled five furlongs in :59.00, the fastest of 33 works at the distance. Trained by William “Buff” Bradley, the 5-year-old son of Street Hero is pointing towards the Gr. II $400,000 New Orleans Handicap on Mar. 24…..John Gunther’s Tiger Moth – winner of the Gr. III Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston on Jan. 28 – went five furlongs in 1:02.40 for trainer Brad Cox.

BLACK GOLD WINNER DRAGON DREW WILL POINT TO GR. III TRANSYLVANIA

Following a 21-1 upset victory in Saturday’s Black Gold Overnight Stakes, trainer William “Buff” Bradley will point Dragon Drew to the Gr. III $150,000 Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland on Apr. 6.

“He’s proud of himself,” Bradley said. “We really thought he’d run big and we thought that he was getting better. After the last race, we knew that that’s where he needed to be running – at that distance on that surface. We thought that he should move forward.”

A son of Get Stormy, Dragon Drew entered his win in the Black Gold Stakes off of a wire-to-wire maiden special weight victory over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course on Feb. 9.

Photo Courtesy of Hodges Photography