Fair Grounds Barn Notes: Gun Runner Gears Up for First Work Back

By Michael Adolphson —-

• Beschizza Bags First U. S. Victory
• Valadorna Swift in Saturday Breeze
• Hallie Belle Hints at Talent in Allowance Win
• Sterling Miss Sustains Amoss Momentum
• No Immediate Plans for Yockey’s Warrior

GUN RUNNER GEARS UP FOR FIRST WORK BACK

Soon-to-be Horse of the Year Gun Runner is back on the track at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and enjoying taking it easy in The Big Easy. The Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm-owned 4-year-old colt is expected to make his next start in the Grade I $16-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park in late January, his final race before retiring to Three Chimneys for stud duty.

Per trainer Steve Asmussen’s assistant Scott Blasi, Gun Runner will likely have his first in a series of works leading up to said event on Sunday, Dec. 3, at the New Orleans oval.

Last out, the son of Candy Ride (Arg) was a rousing victor in the Grade I $6-million Breeders’ Cup Classic, getting revenge on world champion Arrogate and likely stealing both Horse of the Year and Champion Older Horse titles from said Bob Baffert trainee. Based locally each of the last three winters, the chestnut charge won both of his tries over the Fair Grounds surface, including a dominant performance in the 2016 Grade II $1-million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby.

BESCHIZZA BAGS FIRST U. S. VICTORY

British jockey Adam Beschizza, 25, got his first American victory on Friday afternoon at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots when guiding Tabaddol home to win the second race for trainer Joe Sharp and owner Brad Grady. The formerly Newmarket-based rider is the nephew of U.K.-based trainer Julia Feilden and had previously spent a couple winters in New Orleans riding in the mornings for Sharp and 2015-16 leading trainer Mike Stidham.

“I’m delighted to get that one out of the way,” Beschizza said. “It luckily hasn’t taken me too long and I hope to strike while the iron is hot with Joe. He’s a quality trainer who enters his horses intelligently and knows what he’s doing and is very keen to do well. I like his style and we go way back to when he was an assistant to Michael Stidham and I came over as an 18-year-old bug boy from England looking for experience. Then three years ago I came back and galloped the winter for Joe during his first year as a head trainer.”

Beschizza also guided Sharp and Grady’s speedy longshot Blue Wings to a third-place effort in Thursday’s Thanksgiving Handicap. While he has no mounts Saturday, he rides five for Sharp on Sunday’s race week-ending card.

“I’ve enjoyed learning the American style of racing where you have to adapt more quickly and really know what’s underneath you,” Beschizza concluded. “I needed a new challenge after a few years in England doing the turf-to-all-weather seasons. Fair Grounds is a premier track, so I don’t take anything for granted. I hope to do well, and we will see how it goes.”

VALADORNA SWIFT IN SATURDAY BREEZE

Long well-regarded Stonestreet Farm homebred Valadorna fired a warning shot on Saturday morning at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, working a swift half-mile in 48.40 for trainer Mark Casse. The daughter of Curlin and runner-up in the 2016 Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita returned from an eight-month break to finish a good second last out in Churchill Downs allowance company on Nov. 1.

“She worked well,” said David Carroll, assistant to Casse. “She worked with a good horse named Battle Colors and the track was playing fast this morning. She had a good comeback race at Churchill and all we’re trying to do is keep her where she’s at. Her energy level is good and she’s moving better this year, in my opinion, than last year.

“She came to us in terrific shape from Stonestreet (Farm) and I think she’s moved forward,” Carroll continued. “There’s a two-other-than allowance we hope will go for her here, but there are other options. If it doesn’t, we’ll look at Plan B and C.”

HALLIE BELLE HINTS AT TALENT IN ALLOWANCE WIN

Godolphin Racing unleashed another good-looking local charge on Friday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in 3-year-old turf filly Hallie Belle, who closed with a swift turn of foot in the day’s eighth race to win the 1 1/16-miles turf filly and mare allowance event under Joe Bravo for trainer Mike Stidham. A six-length maiden winner at Keeneland one back, the daughter of top stud Medaglia d’Oro and Group III-winning Empire Maker mare Charity Belle was sent off at 3-5 odds, despite drawing unfavorably in the 10-hole of as many fillies and mares.

“We really think she’s a talented filly and it was a good race,” Stidham said. “Joe kind of made it interesting, but he knew what he had and took his time. We’ll maybe do one more (allowance) condition (before a stakes) with her. We think the world of her and she’s really come together nicely.”

Making her fourth start, Hallie Belle won despite going four-wide on both turns and drifting out and then in through the stretch.

“She is still learning,” Stidham said. “That’s one of the reasons we have the cheek pieces on her. I think she’ll move forward.”

STERLING MISS SUSTAINS AMOSS MOMENTUM

For the third time in as many race days, Tom Amoss underlined why he is an 11-time leading trainer at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots meet, scoring with yet another 2-year-old in maiden special weight ranks. This time it was Paul Van Doren’s Sterling Miss, a good-looking chestnut homebred who took the day’s seventh race.

Defeating Spendthrift Farm’s well-regarded and odds-on Catching Diamonds, among others, the first foal of Van Doren’s stakes-winning mare Sterling Madame, who was third behind Horse of the Year Havre de Grace in the 2012 New Orleans Ladies and fourth in champion Royal Delta’s Grade II Fleur de Lis Handicap romp later that season, rallied mightily between fillies in late stretch for her graduation. By obscure stallion Mutadda, a stakes winner for Amoss and the Van Doren family who won Fair Grounds’ F. W. Gaudin Stakes in 2009, Sterling Miss represents a multi-generational Amoss-Van Doren relationship.

“I definitely know the family,” Amoss quipped. “But, yes, she’s been keen to hand and we had the added advantage of a training race at the Fair Grounds at the beginning of November. Having to break from the one-hole for a first-time starter is very difficult, so that extra experience made all the difference. She came out in good shape and we haven’t made any plans yet. We’ll see if that race moves her forward in her training.”

For Amoss, Sterling Miss’ maiden victory follows a Thursday win by Rosemont Farms’ homebred Shared Value and an opening day adjudged score by well-bred Midwest Thoroughbreds-owned Much Trouble.

NO IMMEDIATE PLANS FOR YOCKEY’S WARRIOR

According to trainer and part-owner Al Stall Jr., Yockey’s Warrior has exited his powerful five-length victory under Miguel Mena in Thursday’s $72,000 Thanksgiving Handicap in top order. The son of Warrior’s Reward was making his second start and earning his second win since throat surgery during an extended break over the summer months. The victory was the 5-year-old horse’s second consecutive in the popular holiday feature following a 2¼-length win in 2016.

Yockey’s Warrior, who has now won half his 14 starts and $315,270 in purses, has no immediate goal, race-wise, but Stall has indicated that a slightly more ambitious campaign may be in order in 2018 for the talented sprinter.

Cover Photo: Gun Runner; Coady Photography