Fair Grounds: Real Solution, Amira's Prince meet in Muniz Memorial

NEW ORLEANS – Trainer Chad Brown cited a few reasons for choosing the Mervin Muniz Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds as the starting point for Real Solution’s 2014 campaign.

“The timing of the race and the fact that this horse appreciates a little give in the ground,” Brown said. “He’s training very well. A mile and an eighth might be the shortest distance I run him this year.”

A 5-year-old owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Real Solution hasn’t raced since finishing ninth, five lengths behind the victorious Magician, in the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita. Rosie Napravnik will ride Real Solution, who will carry the high weight of 122 pounds in the Muniz.

The $300,000, Grade 2 race at about 1 1/8 miles drew six older horses.

Amira’s Prince, who won the Muniz last year, is next in the weights at 118 pounds. Trainer Bill Mott, who cross-entered Amira’s Prince in the Grade 2, $200,000 Pan American Stakes, a 1 1/2-mile turf race Saturday at Gulfstream Park, informed the Fair Grounds racing office Thursday that Amira’s Prince was on his way.[bc_video_id:319725:]

In his only start since last year’s Muniz, he finished third, 3 1/2 lengths behind the victorious Lochte, in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap on Feb. 9.

Potomac River, who will carry 117 pounds, won the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Handicap, the final local prep for the Muniz.

The other horses are Fair Grounds Handicap runner-up Skyring, Mister Marti Gras, who was cross-entered in the New Orleans Handicap but appears likely to stay in the Muniz, and Burn the Mortgage, who is stepping up in class after facing high-priced claiming and starter-allowance rivals at Gulfstream Park.

Real Solution, who began his career in Italy, has raced only in high-class company in the United States. The highlight of his 2013 season was a victory in the Grade 1 Arlington Million, in which he finished a head behind The Apache but was moved up on disqualification for bumping in the stretch. Also last year, Real Solution finished third in two Grade 1 races at Belmont Park – the Turf Classic and Manhattan – and was fourth in the Grade 3 Fort Marcy at Belmont.

Since the Breeders’ Cup, Real Solution has put together a solid string of workouts at Palm Meadows in Florida. “He looks great,” Brown said. “We freshened him up. We’re looking forward to having a good year with this horse.”

Potomac River rebounded from a last-place finish in the Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap in his Fair Grounds debut to win the Fair Grounds Handicap by a nose over Skyring. Trainer Jose Camejo said he expects Potomac River to give another strong performance.

“I feel really confident this time compared to last time because now we know where we are with him,” Camejo said.

Also, racing on home turf is an advantage for Potomac River, Camejo said. “When they come to face him, they don’t know the turf,” he said. “They might like it. They may not.”

D. Wayne Lukas trains Skyring, an invader from Oaklawn Park. He led all the way to win the Grade 2 Dixie at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard last year and nearly won the Fair Grounds Handicap five weeks ago. He opened a clear lead in the stretch but couldn’t hold off Potomac River.

Mister Marti Gras, a two-time Grade 3 winner with career earnings of more than $1 million, finished ninth on dirt in the Mineshaft Handicap in his first start as a 7-year-old. “Last time was a race strictly to get him fit enough,” trainer Neil Pessin said.

Pessin said he’s leaning toward the Muniz for Mister Marti Gras. “I’m almost definite for the turf, unless it’s really, really soft,” Pessin said. “My first choice is the Muniz. According to the numbers, his best races are on the dirt, but he’s the type of horse, he runs on anything.”

Trainer Mike Maker claimed Burn the Mortgage for $62,500 in November at Churchill Downs. His first win for Maker came against $50,000 claimers Feb. 7 at Gulfstream Park.