Fair Grounds: Recent Claim Vamos Carlitos to Class Up in Risen Star

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Recent Claim Vamos Carlitos to Class Up in Risen Star

Warrior Johny Adds Blinkers Ahead of Mineshaft

$1 Million Estimated All Stakes Pick 5 Pool on “Louisiana Derby Preview Day”

New Orleans, La (Feb. 12, 2025) – Claimed for $40,000 on Nov. 22 at Churchill Downs, Bryan McCrea’s Vamos Carlitos’ next start will be in the $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Risen Star (G2) for trainer Greg Foley at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. With 105 Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points on the line, the 1 1/8 miles Risen Star attracted a field of 13 3-year-olds, including the 9-5 morning line favorite, East Avenue.

“It’s a tough spot,” Foley said. “(Vamos Carlitos) is doing great. He can run all day. We’re taking a shot.”

After winning on debut with conditioner Jonathan Thomas, the Catholic Boy colt was moved to the turf but showed little, then was entered for a $40,000 tag back on the dirt. In that one-mile race at Churchill, Vamos Carlitos pressed the odds-on favorite, Gardiner, and outgamed him late to win by 3/4 lengths.

“He ran good the day we claimed him,” Foley said. “I don’t think he wants to be on the lead, but he was just the best horse in the race.”

Making his first start for Foley in a local allowance, Vamos Carlitos attracted the services of leading rider Jose Ortiz. Going 1 1/16 miles against a salty field of peers, Vamos Carlitos overcame traffic in the far turn to run second, just 3/4 lengths shy of Admiral Dennis.

“That was a tough race and he ran really good,” Foley said. “(Admiral Dennis) is a good one and Amoss’ horse (Authentic Gallop) won next out at Oaklawn.”

Vamos Carlitos drew post 12 and will be piloted by Florent Geroux, who has won this Derby prep three times.

“We drew to the outside,” Foley said. “I imagine Geroux will get him out, get him over, let him gallop along. Swing him out and finish down the lane. If he can get something fine, if he can’t, no need to beat him up.”

Foley has had two 3-year-olds travel through New Orleans on their way to the Kentucky Derby starting gates. In 2020, Major Fed ran second in the Risen Star, having just broken his maiden in the race prior. The next year, O Besos ran fourth in the Risen Star ahead of his fourth-place finish in Kentucky Derby 147.

Slated as the finale of 14 races on “Louisiana Derby Preview Day,” post time for the Risen Star is 6:30 p.m. CT and it will be the last leg of an all-stakes 15% takeout, 50-cent Pick 5 with an estimated pool of $1,000,000.

Warrior Johny Adds Blinkers Ahead of Mineshaft

Rigney Racing’s Warrior Johny will race with blinkers on for the first time in Saturday’s $250,000 Mineshaft Stakes presented by Relyne GI By Hagyard (G3) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. With $544,528 in earnings over 25 starts, the 6-year-old trained by Phil Bauer is coming off a solid year that included an allowance win at Saratoga and his first stakes score in the Turkey Trot at Parx.

“That horse couldn’t be doing any better,” Bauer said. “He’s been pretty brilliant in his works with the blinkers.”

Last year Warrior Johny ran in the Whitney (G1), Charles Town Classic (G2) and Lukas Classic (G2) but failed to hit the board.

“We always thought that every time he needed to step up, he just never has,” Bauer said. “So we decided to try blinkers. It usually doesn’t work on an older horse but why not. We’ll see.”

In the Tenacious, Warrior Johny ran third behind Saudi Crown and Kinetic, both trained by Brad Cox. The 3-1 morning line favorite in the Mineshaft is also trained by Cox, as reigning Louisiana Derby Champion Catching Freedom will begin his 4-year-old campaign on Saturday.

Tabbed at 6-1, Warrior Johnny drew the rail with nine rivals to his outside. Scheduled as race 11, the 1 1/16 miles Mineshaft is the first leg of All Graded Stakes Pick 4.

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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, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 15 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 153rd Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 112th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 22, 2024 through March 23, 2025. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.