Asmussen juvenile ranks deep

Steve Asmussen is in the process of laying out tentative early-2016 plans for a powerhouse group of 2-year-olds who turn 3 in less than a month, many of whom already have taken up winter quarters at Fair Grounds.

Asmussen seems loaded with 2-year-old fillies in particular, including Stageplay, who recently finished second in the Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs. Stageplay, by Curlin, won her first two starts impressively, but in the Golden Rod was turned back in upper stretch by victorious Carina Mia, who had set a slow pace on a wet track. Stageplay had beaten Carina Mia in their common career debut in October.

“She just shipped in to Fair Grounds this week,” said Asmussen of Stageplay. “She’ll be back on the work tab pretty soon. We’ll get with [owner] Mike Rutherford on where to run her next, be it Fair Grounds or Oaklawn.”

Nickname won the Grade 1 Frizette over one mile in the mud before finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, and she, too, is stabled at Fair Grounds. Asmussen said he intends to bring Nickname back for her 3-year-old debut in the Feb. 5 Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn.

“She’s just a gorgeous filly, very mature mentally and physically for a 2-year-old,” Asmussen said.

La Apassionata, second as the 1-5 favorite in the Delta Downs Princess Stakes after winning the My Trusty Cat Stakes in the local prep, is getting “a little bit of a break,” Asmussen said. Royal Obsession, a Tapit filly who scored a promising debut win Nov. 29 at Churchill, will train on and be pointed to a two-turn allowance race.

Asmussen’s top colt at the moment appears to be Gun Runner, who had the lead at the stretch call in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes on the same Churchill card as Stageplay’s race, but faded a bit late and finished a close fourth.

“That was similar to [Stageplay’s] race,” Asmussen said. “He ran well, but not quite as good as we thought he would.”

Gun Runner, by Candy Ride, won his debut in a one-turn mile and won his second start around two turns, but Asmussen said Gun Runner is far from a finished product.

“I think he has a lot of talent and some physical development to do,” Asmussen said. “He’ll run back no sooner than February, more likely at Oaklawn than Fair Grounds.”