Fair Grounds Barn Notes: Saturday, March 17

By Ryan Martin —-

Pletcher Sends Noble Indy, Hyndford For Grade II Louisiana Derby
• Eskimo Kisses Works For Fair Grounds Oaks
• Carroll Talks Possibilities With Maiden Winner Elusive Mischief

PLETCHER SENDS NOBLE INDY, HYNDFORD FOR GRADE II LOUISIANA DERBY

Trainer Todd Pletcher is bringing Grade II Risen Star third-place finisher Noble Indy back to the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for next Saturday’s Gr. II $1 million Louisiana Derby Presented by TwinSpirescom, but this time he will be accompanied by stable mate Hyndford.

Prior to finishing third in the Risen Star, the WinStar Farm LLC and Repole Stable-owned son of Take Charge Indy was a dual winner at Gulfstream Park in his prior two starts. He broke his maiden in wire-to-wire fashion by 8¾ lengths before a two-length victory against winners on Jan. 11. He currently has 10 points from his Risen Star effort and sits at No. 25 on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard.

“We feel that he continues to mature and make progress,” Pletcher said. “It seems like he’s really maturing the way we want him too. (Jockey) Johnny (Velazquez) been pleased with him and he has always liked him. The horse continues to show improvement.”

Donegal Racing’s Hyndford on the other hand, was pointing towards the Gr. III $800,000 Sunland Derby at its namesake track on Sunday, Mar. 25.

“According to the stakes coordinator at Sunland he’d be on the also eligible list,” Pletcher said. “The plane to New Orleans leaves Tuesday so if on Tuesday if we’re still on the outside looking in, we would run (in the Louisiana Derby) as opposed to not racing him anywhere.”

A son of Street Cry (Ire.), Hyndford was a $200,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2016. He broke his maiden second time out for a $50,000 tag at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 19 and most recently was second behind stable mate Magnum Moon at Tampa Bay Downs last month.

“He put in a good effort at Tampa behind Magnum Moon and he’s trained well since then,” Pletcher said. “It’s an ambitious jump but it’s that time of year to find out where we stand.”

Hall of Fame jockey and regular rider John Velazquez will pilot Noble Indy, who breaks from post two at 7-2 morning line odds. Joe Bravo has the mount aboard Hyndford.

ESKIMO KISSES WORKS FOR FAIR GROUNDS OAKS

While Silverbulletday Stakes winner Stronger Than Ever took her show on the road to Oaklawn Park in last week’s Gr. III Honeybee Stakes, stable mate Eskimo Kisses shipped from trainer Kenny McPeek’s division at the Hot Springs oval to the Fair Grounds for the Gr. II $400,000 TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (100-40-20-10).

Owned by Magdalena Racing, Gainesway Stable and Harold Lerner, the 3-year-old daughter of To Honor And Serve turned in her final work for the event on Saturday morning and worked a half mile in :48.80.

“Real good work,” said Kenny McPeek’s assistant Greg Geier. “(Jockey) Brian (Hernandez, Jr.) said that she worked well, she galloped out good. Everything seems to be set for next week.”

Eskimo Kisses broke her maiden At Oaklawn Park on the fourth attempt before an 11½ length romp against winners at the Hot Springs oval on Feb. 22.

Other notable works on Saturday morning include half-mile works from the Bret Calhoun-trained pair of Fair Grounds Oaks aspirants of Classy Act and Patrona Margarita who worked 47.80 and 48.60, respectively. Also on the work tab for the Fair Grounds Oaks is Naveed Chowhan’s America’s Tale, who worked five furlongs in 1:01.00 for trainer Bernie Flint. Brad Grady’s Girvin is continuing to progress on the comeback trail and logged a half-mile work in 48.60 for trainer Joe Sharp.

CARROLL TALKS POSSIBILITIES FOR MAIDEN WINNER ELUSIVE MISCHIEF

It was a successful comeback for John C. Oxley’s Elusive Mischief, who broke his maiden on Friday afternoon over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course following a seven-month layoff.

Trained by Mark Casse, the Virginia-bred 3-year-old son of Into Mischief had not raced since his career debut on Aug. 23 at Saratoga where he finished second beaten 2¼ lengths. His dam, Claire’s Song, is a half to Loving Vindication who produced multiple graded stakes winner Wonder Gadot. He was purchased for $350,000 from last April’s Ocala Breeders’ Sale’s Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale.

“It was a good spot to start him back,” Casse’s assistant trainer David Carroll said. “He’s still very green and it’s only his second start and he’s come off the long layoff. He’s got a lot to learn but he’s got a lot of attention. We’ll have to see how he comes out of this race and take him to Keeneland and we’ll see what Mark would like to do, possibly run at Keeneland or he might be a horse that could suit New York, where they have six and seven (furlong) races on the turf.”