Beau's Town looks at fall comeback

Beau's Town is on the comeback trail and could be seen before the close of the Louisiana Downs meet, his owner, Dave Hulkewicz, said Thursday. The multiple-stakes-winning sprinter is scheduled to return to the Louisiana Downs barn of trainer Cole Norman on July 15, and could be ready to run as early as September.

Beau's Town has won eight stakes in his career, with his biggest scores coming in the Grade 2 Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup at Del Mar and the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn. Overall, he has won 12 of 21 starts and $611,930.

"There's a chance we could see him at the end of Louisiana Downs," said Hulkewicz.

Beau's Town last raced in November, when he finished third in the Thanksgiving Handicap at Fair Grounds. Since then, he has had a small bone chip removed from an ankle and is now based at Three Feathers Farm in Quinlan, Texas.

"He looks like the picture of health," said Hulkewicz. "He's all dappled out. He's doing great."

Hulkewicz said that for the immediate future he would like to point Beau's Town, a 7-year-old gelding, for stakes and allowance races, on dirt or turf, at Louisiana Downs, Fair Grounds, and Oaklawn Park.

"The goal with him is to win races, get his confidence back up, and see where we are," said Hulkewicz.

Down the line, more distance could be in store for Beau's Town.

"I still have the curiosity of running him a mile, because I think he'll go a mile," said Hulkewicz. "That could happen next year up at Oaklawn, especially with the short stretch."

One-mile races at Oaklawn end at the sixteenth pole.

Two straight for Ida Maria?

Ida Maria, who won her maiden in her last start May 1, returns to action in the 10th race Saturday, a 6 1/2-furlong entry-level allowance for Louisiana-bred fillies and mares. The purse is $32,500.

Ida Maria has been flattered since her maiden win as Zucy, the runner-up, returned to win a maiden special weight race May 22, and Bonita's Reinbeau accomplished the same in her next start, on June 10.

Ida Maria shows some nice works for her first start against winners, and trainer Patrick Mouton has given the mount to Don Simington. Simington was three wins away from career victory 2,000 on Thursday.

* The $40,000 Rebel for 2-year-old fillies was scheduled for Saturday, but the race did not fill. The $40,000 Pioneer for 2-year-old colts and geldings on Sunday will be led by Lord Vicar.