Fair Grounds notes: Albano, Gold Hawk work for Louisiana Derby

Two of the leading local hopes for the $1 million Louisiana Derby on March 29 had major workouts for the race Monday, and both Albano and Gold Hawk went fast.

Albano, who finished second by a nose in the Feb. 22 Risen Star Stakes, had a five-furlong, in-company workout that was timed in 59.60 seconds, the fastest of 23 works at the distance Monday.

Gold Hawk, third in the Lecomte and fifth in the Risen Star, had a solo drill, going six furlongs in 1:12, a very fast time for Fair Grounds, particularly on a morning when the track surface wasn’t especially glib.

Gold Hawk, who won the first two starts of his career late last year, has long elicited glowing reports from trainer Steve Asmussen, but the Empire Maker colt has yet to translate his potential into stakes performance.

“It was not unexpected, but he worked great,” Asmussen said of Gold Hawk’s drill. “I wanted a good three-quarters, and he got a good three-quarters. Nothing has changed: I think he’s a nice horse, and he hasn’t been able to show it yet. He feels like he’s headed in that direction.”

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Albano finished neck-and-neck with Gold Hawk in the Lecomte but stepped forward in the Risen Star, setting a moderate pace and easily holding off all closers save Intense Holiday, who nipped him at the finish. Hoppertunity, who could only rally moderately for fourth in the Risen Star, returned to win the Rebel Stakes last Saturday at Oaklawn.

Albano, trainer Larry Jones said, worked in company with the 3-year-old filly Mary Rita, who started several lengths in front of Albano, providing a target.

“Everything went real nice,” Jones said. “We gave him a target out there to catch. He ran her down and looked good doing it.”

Albano clocked the same five-furlong time in his penultimate work before the Risen Star, but Jones thinks Albano has developed in subsequent weeks.

“He acts like he’s continuing to improve, and this work did not seem to take as much out of him as the one with the same time did a month ago,” he said.

The Louisiana Derby, which won’t be drawn until March 26, is shaping up as a slightly revised version of the Risen Star. Hoppertunity obviously won’t be back, but Intense Holiday is scheduled to ship from Florida, as is Risen Star third-place finisher Vicar’s in Trouble, the Lecomte winner. Louies Flower, who won the Springboard Mile at Remington before a flop in the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn, is a newcomer to the Fair Grounds 3-year-old stakes scene and would supply an added measure of early speed if, as expected, he starts in the Louisiana Derby.

Untapable works for Oaks

Asmussen on Monday also sent out leading Kentucky Oaks contender Untapable for a five-furlong solo work timed in 1:00. Untapable, a brilliant winner of the Feb. 22 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds in her 3-year-old debut, continues to awe her trainer.

“That’s an impressive mare,” Asmussen said of Untapable’s work. “She does things easier than everybody. She’s just very talented.”

Untapable was bred and is owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, for whom Asmussen also trains leading 3-year-old colt Tapiture. Asmussen, asked if there had been talk among the connections about trying Untapable against males, said the focus was only on the Fair Grounds Oaks.

“She has plenty to do March 29, and we need to pay attention to that,” he said.

◗ Print editions of Daily Racing Form will be available for only $1 in New Orleans and southeast Louisiana this Saturday. The discounted Daily Racing Forms will be available at program stands at Fair Grounds as well as at OTB locations.