Fair Grounds: Landeros enjoying first winter in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS – At age 25 with more than 1,000 career victories, jockey Chris Landeros decided the timing was right to bring his tack to Fair Grounds.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind to try the Fair Grounds,” Landeros said during a break from working horses one morning this week. “I love it. Everything’s going good.’’
A particularly productive day was Jan. 31, when Landeros won three races in a row, starting with the third race.
“Sometimes you just feel it, and it’s going well,’’ he said.
The second of those three winners was 18-1 shot Lovelady, a filly making her career debut in a race for $25,000 maiden claimers. Trainer Michelle Lovell said that Landeros learned about Lovelady by working her, and his race-riding helped her win.
“He’s a hard worker,’’ Lovell said. “He’s a very good rider. I think he’s got a good future in front of him.’’
Through Thursday, Landeros stood 10th in the jockeys standings with 14 wins and ranked 11th in purse earnings.
“We’ve had a horse or two for everybody,’’ said Scott Hare, Landeros’s agent. “He’s won 14 with 12 different trainers. You have to work here.’’
Said Landeros: “If you’re going to miss a work, five guys are waiting behind you – and good riders. That’s why I like it. You can learn a lot.’’
Landeros, who is from San Mateo, Calif., is the son of Manny Landeros, assistant to trainer Mike Puype.
“I grew up on the backside of Golden Gate Fields,’’ Chris Landeros said.
He has ridden across the West, Southwest, and Midwest in his eight years as a jockey. Tracks where he stayed for extended periods include Turf Paradise, Golden Gate, Bay Meadows, Hollywood Park, Prairie Meadows, Remington Park, Sam Houston, Lone Star, Indiana Downs, and Calder. At Lone Star, he led the jockey standings in 2009 and 2010.
He has won several significant stakes, including the Connally Turf Handicap on Schramsberg in 2011 at Sam Houston, the Lone Star Derby on Thirtyfirststreet in 2011, the Calder Oaks on Frolic’s Revenge in 2012, and the Centaur Stakes on Free World last year at Indiana Downs.
To Landeros, Fair Grounds is providing an opportunity to take his career up a notch in class. Another lure of the track, he said, is its long stretch. “It’s pretty cool,’’ he said. “It’s different.’’
He said he learns something every day from Fair Grounds veterans. Robby Albarado has been especially helpful, Landeros said.
“He will stop whatever he’s doing to help you,’’ he said.
Mylute returns to Fair Grounds
Mylute, who finished third in the Preakness and second in the Louisiana Derby last year, arrived at Fair Grounds on Wednesday from a freshening at GoldMark Farm in Ocala, Fla.
“He looks great,’’ trainer Tom Amoss said.
Mylute, who hasn’t raced since finishing eighth in the Jim Dandy on July 24 at Saratoga, was training at GoldMark under general manager/farm trainer Todd Quast, Amoss said.
“There’s a small chance’’ that Mylute could run in the New Orleans Handicap, Amoss said. “It’s not out of the question.
“But we’re not going to push him to make that specific spot. Our long-range goal with him is to make him a top handicap horse.’’
All five of Mylute’s starts last year were in Grade 1 or Grade 2 stakes. He finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby and was seventh in the Risen Star.
Mylute had two five-furlong workouts on the synthetic training track at GoldMark, Amoss said.
“I’m confident he’s pretty far along,’’ he said.
Rise Up and Kendall’s Boy – the top 3-year-olds in Amoss’s stable – have been training well for upcoming stakes, the trainer said.
Rise Up, who won the Delta Jackpot on Nov. 23 in his last start, is headed to the Risen Star on Feb. 22 at Fair Grounds. Kendall’s Boy, who won a first-level allowance sprint Jan. 11 at Fair Grounds, will run next in the Southwest Stakes on Feb. 17 at Oaklawn Park.
Amoss noted that both horses have a close-to-the-pace running style.
“The owners recognize that there’s no upside to racing them against each other,’’ he said.
◗ Starting Thursday, post time for daytime cards will be 1:25 p.m. Central.