Fair Grounds Barn Notes: Friday, March 3

By Michael Adolphson —-

• Improving Wicked Lick Aims to Fair Grounds Oaks
• Senior Investment to Louisiana Derby
• Forevamo and Jenda’s Agenda Top Tab

IMPROVING WICKED LICK AIMS TO FAIR GROUNDS OAKS

Lee Mauberret’s Wicked Lick will go on to fight another day, according to trainer Brendan Walsh. The highly regarded daughter of hot young sire Maclean’s Music emerged from her fourth-place finish in Saturday’s Grade II $200,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes in top order. The leggy chestnut filly had to weave a bit through the stretch and lost some momentum, but still closed well to be just two lengths behind Breeders’ Cup-placed Valadorna. Farrell, the runaway winner, was a facile winner.

“There’s a good chance that we’ll bring her back in the (Grade II $400,000) Fair Grounds Oaks,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “The filly is doing well and the owners are New Orleans people and they have enjoyed running her here. We have options, but we believe she has a lot of talent. (Jockey) Brian (Hernandez, Jr.) was convinced the other day that he could have been second with a better trip and I know it wasn’t the ideal trip around the turn. If she didn’t have to go in and out maybe she would have been, but that’s all hindsight. She’s been running well and she’s just getting stronger physically now.”

Wicked Lick is a homebred out of the Dehere mare Here Music. She has raced three times at the New Orleans oval, including a pair of seconds in allowance company and the Listed $145,000 Silverbulletday Stakes, respectively. A first foal, Wicked Lick hails from the immediate and deep Edward P. Evans family of Grade II-winning top sire Silver Music, Grade II winners Musical Ghost and Noble Moon, as well as multiple stakes winner Prospector’s Song.

SENIOR INVESTMENT TO LOUISIANA DERBY

Fern Circle Stables’ improving sophomore Senior Investment is maturing at the right time for trainer Kenny McPeek and will likely be pointed to the Grade II $1,000,000 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, according to his conditioner. McPeek confirmed Friday morning that the son of Discreetly Mine is heading back to the Fair Grounds and its premier event.

In six lifetime starts, the chestnut colt has improved his last five, including crossing the wire first in his last three. Two back, though, in first-level allowance company at Fair Grounds, he was disqualified from his neck victory. Three weeks later, McPeek shipped him to Oaklawn Park, and he outclassed his rivals by three lengths. Before both of those efforts was a workmanlike 2½-length maiden special weight victory in New Orleans. Impressively, he has crossed the wire first three times with three different riders.

Out of the graded stakes-placed Deputy Commander mare Plaid, Senior Investment is a half-brother to General Downs (Mineshaft), a $300,000 purchase and impressive allowance winner here on Jan. 26 for trainer Dallas Stewart and owner West Point Thoroughbreds. Senior Investment was a $95,000 purchase by McPeek at Keeneland’s September Sale in 2015.

WORK TAB

Brittlyn Stable’s Forevamo had his first work back since his 4-year-old bow, working a half-mile in an easy 49.60 for trainer Al Stall, Jr. The good-looking multiple graded stakes-placed son of Uncle Mo was second on Feb. 17 after an exciting stretch duel with improving stakes-bound charge Egyptian that ended with a nose margin.

Fox Hill Farms and Larry and Cindy Jones’ Jenda’s Agenda worked a sharp half-mile in 47.80 for breeder, trainer and part-owner Larry Jones on Friday morning. The daughter of Proud Citizen is considered possible for the Grade II $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks on Apr. 1.

Gary and Mary West’s Malibu Sunset continued working toward his comeback for trainer Wayne Catalano. The grand-looking son of Bernardini whistled through a gate breeze of five furlongs in 1:00.80.