MULTIPLE GRADED STAKES WINNER SYNCHRONY EYES THREE-PEAT IN FAIR GROUNDS STAKES

By Grant LaGrange —-

Barn Notes: Monday, January 20, 2020

• MULTIPLE GRADED STAKE WINNER SYNCHRONY AIMING TOWARDS FAIR GROUNDS STAKES (G3)
• AMOSS HAS HIGH HOPES FOR CHARMING LADY

New Orleans (Monday, January 20, 2020) – In his fourth local work since finishing a close eighth in the City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park on October 5, Pin Oak Stable’s 7-year-old homebred Synchrony breezed six furlongs in 1:14.00 over a fast track on Monday morning at Fair Grounds. He continues to prepare for the Fair Grounds Stakes (G3) (Formerly known as Fair Grounds Handicap) on Feb. 15, a race he has won the last two years.

The son of Tapit added two graded stakes wins to his resume in 2019. After successfully defending his title in the Fair Grounds Handicap (G3) in February, the Michael Stidham trainee followed up with a third place finish to Horse of the Year finalist Bricks and Mortar in the locally run Muniz Memorial Handicap (G2), a race he had won the year prior, in March. That is Synchrony’s only loss in five career starts over the Stall-Wilson turf course.

After a seventh place finish in the Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs in May, Synchrony would bounce back with heartbreaking second in the Monmouth Stakes (G2) at Monmouth Park on May 25. He secured his second graded stake win of 2019 in the King Edward Stakes (G2) at Woodbine at the end of June.

Following his victory in Canada, Synchrony would close his 2019 campaign with a fifth in the Woodbine Mile (G1) and a close eighth (beaten only 1 1/2 lengths) in the City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2).

“We are planning on having him ready for the Fair Grounds Stakes (G3) on February 15 ($150,000, nine furlongs turf),” trainer Mike Stidham said. “We left him in Kentucky and gave him six weeks off at KESMARC (equine therapy and rehab) where he got away from the racetrack routine and just did some work on the AquaTred. We brought him in fresh and I feel like he’s good as he’s ever been right now.”

The 7-year-old Synchrony owns a career record of 25-9-4-6 ($908,652). A win in the Fair Grounds Stakes (G3) would leave him just dollars shy of achieving millionaire status.

QUOTES> NOTES

Tom Amoss, trainer of Charming Lady, a well-bred 3-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper who won impressively on debut as the odd- on favorite on Saturday Jan.18 (1:10 4/5 * 83 Bris Speed figure):

“She was a 2-year-old purchase ($400,000) at the Fasig Tipton Mid Atlantic sale,” Amoss said. “I got her over the summer and she just wasn’t ready to run in the afternoons yet We started again with her in the fall with her. She prepared well and we had high expectations going into the race. She threw us a curveball when she didn’t break well. She’s always been sharp from the gate, but she still put in a really nice performance.”

“We’re excited about her,” Amoss continued. “After not breaking well she rated nicely behind horses and accelerated when she had the opening. Eventually we want to stretch her out to two turns. That’s where the big races are so we’re going to work on trying to get her to go longer, I just don’t know if it’s going to be in her second career race.”

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About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, LA, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global