Fair Grounds Stakes Recaps: Grade 3 Mineshaft, Stall & Col. Power

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Hall of Fame Edges Longshot Komorebino Omoide to Win Mineshaft

New Orleans, La (Feb. 15, 2025) – Highly-regarded 4-year-old colt Hall of Fame surged late to get his head in front of 14-1 longshot Komorebino Omoide at the wire to win Saturday’s 40th running of the $250,000 Mineshaft Stakes presented by Relyne GI by Hagyard (G3) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Gandharvi and Brook Smith, Hall of Fame was ridden by Jose Ortiz for trainer Steve Asmussen. The son of Gun Runner covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.89 to secure the fourth victory of his career.

After an even beginning, Ortiz positioned Hall of Fame in third, tracking Maycocks Bay, who led Komorebino Omoide through an opening quarter in :24.46. After a half-mile in :48.60, Komorebino Omoide began to find his best stride and drew even with the leader at the quarter pole. As they reached mid-stretch, Ortiz angled Hall of Fame three-wide while Komorebino Omoide began to draw clear of Maycocks Bay. Inside the final sixteenth, Hall of Fame began to find his best stride but Komorebino Omoide fought back along the rail. At the wire, Hall of Fame prevailed by a head.

Following the race, jockey Jansen Melancon lodged an objection against Ortiz for interference in the stretch, but stewards disallowed the claim.

“He broke great and put me in a great position down the backside,” Ortiz said. “Steve (Asmussen) and his team did a really good job with him, and it showed with him having to battle down the lane after a slow pace early.”

Maycocks Bay held third, finishing 1 ¾ lengths ahead of Batten Down. Heroic Move, Tuscan Sky, Catching Freedom and Warrior Johny completed the order of finish.

Hall of Fame, the 8-5 favorite, returned $5.40, $4.20, and $3. Komorebino Omoide paid $9.40 and $5, while Maycocks Bay, under Ben Curtis, returned $7 to show.

With the victory, Hall of Fame improved his career record to 7-4-1-0, boosting his earnings to $322,960.

A Kentucky-bred son of Gun Runner out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Flag Day, Hall of Fame was bred by Earle I. Mack.

Mineshaft Quotes

Jose Ortiz (jockey, Hall of Fame, winner):

“He broke great and put me in a great position down the backside. Steve (Asmussen) and his team did a really good job with him, and it really showed with him having to battle down the lane after a slow pace early.”

Steve Asmussen (trainer, Hall of Fame, winner): “He’s really putting it together. He’s an exciting horse from a tremendous family. It was very impressive today how he showed a new dimension by sitting behind a slow opening half-mile and coming home in a fast time. … I’m very thankful we were able to give him the time to fill in and grow into himself. I think the sky is the limit.”

Jansen Melancon (jockey, Komorebino Omoide, second): “The distance isn’t a problem for my horse. I think the bumping slowed him down. He was coming back.”

Ben Curtis (jockey, Maycocks Bay, third): “He ran a cracker of a race. He relaxed a lot better today. He made the lead very easily. The fractions were in our favor. He’s still fairly unexposed and still learning how to do things. I’m very happy with him.”

Flavien Prat (jockey, Catching Freedom, seventh): “I tried to get him into a good position early, but they went slow, and he got keen on me. He didn’t fire his best race today.”

Mansa Musa Edges Kavod in Colonel Power Thriller

New Orleans, La (Feb. 15, 2025) – Team Valor International and Gary Barber’s Mansa Musa (IRE) earned his first victory of the season in dramatic fashion, getting his head down at the wire to defeat Kavod in Saturday’s 37th running of the $98,000 Colonel Power Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, Mansa Musa completed 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.69 over a firm turf course.

Ortiz settled Mansa Musa in third early, just behind Kavod, who was pressed to his outside by 8-5 favorite No Nay Hudson. After an opening quarter-mile in :22.46 and a half-mile in :46.07, Kavod turned for home with the lead, while Ortiz tipped Mansa Musa three-wide to challenge the front-runners.

Inside the sixteenth pole, Mansa Musa briefly took the lead but Kavod battled back along the inside. At the wire, Mansa Musa prevailed by a head as the 9-5 second choice.

Demolition Duke closed late to finish third, followed by No Nay Hudson, Gilded Ruler, Dhabab, and Swift as I Am.

“I had a perfect trip,” Ortiz said. “The horse made me look good. I was able to sit just behind the speed and bide my time until the stretch. Even though I had the perfect trip, I have to give a lot of credit to the horse. He fought back down the lane and really tried hard.”

Mansa Musa returned $5.80, $3.40, and $2.60. Kavod, under Luis Saez, paid $6.20 and $4.40, while Demolition Duke, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $3.40 to show.

The Colonel Power was Mansa Musa’s third career victory from 12 starts, boosting his earnings to $371,475.

A 4-year-old son of Ten Sovereigns (IRE) out of the Showcasing (GB) mare Sundiata, Mansa Musa was bred in Ireland

by Middlelane Farm.

Determined Nanda Dea Victorious in Al Stall Memorial for First North American Stake

New Orleans, La (Feb. 15, 2025) – After finding herself in tight quarters down the stretch, Happy Friday’s Nanda Dea (ARG) came off heels and rallied determinedly to make the $100,000 Albert M. Stall Memorial at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots her first North American stakes victory.

Ridden by Jose Ortiz for trainer Ignacio Correas IV, Nanda Dea completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.64 over a firm turf course.

Nanda Dea relaxed comfortably in third early, as Join the Dance took the lead and set opening fractions of :24.18 and :49.74 while being stalked to her outside by Way to Be Marie. Holding that formation deep into the race, at the eighth pole Ortiz guided Nanda Dea off heels to daylight where the mare found more to determinedly get up by 1/2 length over Join the Dance.

Way to Be Marie held third. Tufani closed late to finish fourth.

“She’s a multiple group 1 winner in Argentina,” Ortiz said. “We knew when she came over that she was very nice. Nacho (trainer Correas) has done an amazing job with her–he does an amazing job with South American horses. She worked out a great trip other than I had to wait and wait and wait and then check a little bit at the 3/16th pole. She responded after that very well. I hope I didn’t make Nacho very nervous.”

Sent off as the 6-5 favorite, Nanda Dea returned $4.60, $3.80, and $2.80. Join the Dance, under Luis Saez, paid $10.20 and $6.80, while Way to Be Marie, ridden by Florent Geroux, returned $4.20 to show.

Along with an allowance win at Keeneland, Nanda Dea is now a perfect two-for-two since joining Correas in North America. A multiple group 1 winner in Argentina, the 6-year-old mare boasts a career record of 10-8-1-0 with $188,465 in earnings.