Deer Valley carries Geroux's heavy reputation
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
Despite riding out of town on several weekend days this winter, Florent Geroux is closing in on 100 winners at the Fair Grounds meet. And at this point, close to 100 percent of his mounts are getting bet more than they should. Call it the Geroux effect.
Yes, Geroux has become an excellent rider, and yes, success breeds success, and he is landing live mounts several times each card. But that does not mean the balance between popularity and betting value is anywhere near fair.
The dynamic probably will be in play in Thursday’s featured eighth race at Fair Grounds, a first-level allowance race also open to $50,000 claimers that is restricted to females and carded for about 5 1/2 furlongs on turf. Geroux rides Deer Valley, who was a close second as the 2-1 favorite in a race at this class level and distance when he last raced Feb. 10. Deer Valley also ran well over a sprint distance on turf last year at Kentucky Downs, and as a closer in a race with several pace factors, she could get the right setup on Thursday. Bettors, though, must decide what win price they will accept on a filly who is a contender but not a standout.
If all the speed shows, Princess Lu Lu also is in line for a favorable trip. She has raced competitively with some of the same fillies as Deer Valley, might well be her equal, and will be a much more appealing price.
Chocolate Ride gets it done
Chocolate Ride, the popular turf horse who won the 2015 Mervin Muniz Stakes, won for the first time in more than a year when he captured an allowance race last Thursday at Fair Grounds.
Trained by Brad Cox for GenStar Thoroughbreds, Chocolate Ride won a high-end one-mile grass allowance by one length over the sharp Tiznoble. Typically a front-running type, Chocolate Ride revealed something of a new dimension, rallying from fourth.
Stageplay getting ready
The multiple stakes winner Stageplay is working toward her first start as a 4-year-old. Stageplay hasn’t started since finishing seventh in the Eight Belles Stakes last May at Churchill Downs, her third disappointing performance in a row following a win in the Silverbulletday Stakes to start her 3-year-old season. Stageplay, by Curlin, has worked five times at Fair Grounds and has gone five furlongs several times.