Dirt allowance serves as audition for Mineshaft

Mighty Manfred finished fourth behind second-place Casses Story and third-place Higher Power in a Dec. 15 allowance race at Fair Grounds, but perhaps the last of those three that day can be first of all Saturday.

That trio is among seven entrants in race 8, a second-level, two-turn dirt allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option that serves as one of three featured races on a 10-race program. If the winner runs well enough, he might get a look in the Grade 3 Mineshaft on Feb. 16.

Mighty Manfred races for the $40,000 claiming option, but don’t hold that against him; trainer and co-owner Hugh Robertson spots his horses ever so realistically. Mighty Manfred knocked out his second allowance condition last summer at Arlington, and equally pertinent to his chances Saturday was a dirt race last season at Fair Grounds. There, he finished a close second and was placed first when the winner, Silver Dust, was disqualified. Silver Dust is the horse who won the Dec. 15 allowance that produced the three starters in Saturday’s test.

Mighty Manfred probably had the toughest trip of the three, stuck down inside with nowhere really to run after making a middle move into contention. Racing for the first time in 2 1/2 months and for just the second time since late June, he had a right to tire a bit late and can improve enough to win at a price Saturday.

Higher Power, who lost ground on both turns, also might have needed the start, his first since April, though trainer Mike Stidham has a knack for readying long-layoff comebackers for representative showings. Casses Story had a considerable recency edge on the top two while producing a performance at the very top end of his established range. He was 5-1 last out and figures to be about half that price this time around.

Race 7 has the same conditions (second-level allowance, $40,000 claimer) but is written for fillies and mares at two turns on turf. It has 11 entrants for turf and three more entered for the main track only and is, to say the least, tough to figure.

Race 9 rounds out the open-allowance portion of the program. This is a two-turn turf mile for 3-year-olds, open to first-level allowance horses or $50,000 claimers, that has the Stidham-trained Swordsman as a vulnerable 3-1 morning-line favorite. Swordsman comes off maiden win in which he made an easy lead, and longer-priced horses like Johny’s Bobby and Cardinal Coach Mac might have an equally good chance at a much more appealing price.