Fair Grounds: Untapable tackles short field in Fair Grounds Oaks
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NEW ORLEANS – The routine around Steve Asmussen’s barn at Fair Grounds on Thursday morning looked the same, with horses going to train, Asmussen accompanying them on his pony, set after set, taking time only for a midmorning renovation break. It was 48 hours from a big day here, and the focus was on getting a filly like Untapable prepared to start as the heavy favorite in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks on Saturday.
Nothing else has been routine for Asmussen or the sport of horse racing, not since a recent video was released by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that focused largely on Asmussen’s assistant, Scott Blasi, who has since been dismissed.
Asked Thursday if he wanted to address those matters, Asmussen said, “This is not the proper platform.”
Asmussen had plenty to say about his horses, and there is much to talk about with Untapable. Her overpowering victory in last month’s Rachel Alexandra Stakes has made her the morning-line favorite for the Fair Grounds Oaks as well as the ante-post favorite for the May 2 Kentucky Oaks. It also helped keep the Fair Grounds Oaks field to just five runners, including the highly regarded Unbridled Forever, who won the Silverbulletday Stakes earlier this meet and then was purposely kept out of the Rachel Alexandra.[bc_video_id:319726:]
“She’s a tremendously talented filly,” Asmussen said of Untapable. “Her first race as a 3-year-old was brilliant.”
Untapable won the Rachel Alexandra by 9 1/2 lengths and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 100.
“She couldn’t have been more impressive, especially considering the ground that she covered,” her jockey, Rosie Napravnik, said Thursday. “She’s a good one.”
Untapable drew the rail in the 1 1/16-mile Fair Grounds Oaks. Napravnik said she thinks Untapable will adjust to whatever pace scenario unfolds.
“She’s versatile. She’s tactical,” Napravnik said. “She’ll rate, and she’s got a nice kick.”
Asmussen said he believes Untapable’s progress this winter was helped by training at Fair Grounds.
“She’s done very well over this surface,” he said. “Her training schedule and her work schedule have been uninterrupted, even with the weather. They’ve kept the track in impeccable shape. That was a key component in her getting to where she was for the Rachel Alexandra.”
Unbridled Forever has not raced in more than two months but has trained right along.
“Now it’s the time to start marching,” said Dallas Stewart, her trainer. “She’s going to have a ton of races – this, the Kentucky Oaks, the Acorn – so I figured I’d give her a break before all this. She hasn’t missed a day, hasn’t missed a work. We just didn’t race her.”
Fiftyshadesofgold will try to stretch her speed around two turns after winning 3 of 4 sprinting. Her lone loss came last summer in the Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga, where she had a horrendous trip and emerged with a fractured cannon bone.
“We put in two screws and left them in for 60 days, then took them out,” said her trainer, Bret Calhoun, who sent Fiftyshadesofgold to Sam Houston for a winning comeback race last month against Texas-breds.
“The caliber of horses she faced was different to what she’ll face Saturday, but it was a very good prep,” Calhoun said.
Mary Rita, a first-level allowance winner last time out, and Artist Cry, who has raced exclusively against Louisiana-breds, complete the field.