Grand Contender gets class relief in route feature

NEW ORLEANS – Grand Contender, whose last 12 starts came in stakes races, drops to optional-claiming company in the $42,000 feature on a 10-race card Sunday at Fair Grounds.

Trained by Tom Amoss, Grand Contender won five of those dozen stakes, including the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap and Grade 3 Texas Mile at Lone Star in 2014. But he’s coming off a 30 1/2-length defeat in the Louisiana Handicap on Jan. 17, so class relief appears in order.

“He’s had a series of works since then,” Amoss said. “He’s fine physically. We’ll see what his passion for racing will be.”

The last time Grand Contender raced in optional-claiming company, on Oct. 19, 2013, at Indiana Grand, he won.

Grand Contender, a 7-year-old gelding, will break from the rail in a field of seven older horses running 1 1/16 miles.

KEY CONTENDERS

Grand Contender (Last 3 Beyers: 52-97-86)

◗ In the Louisiana Handicap, Grand Contender was outrun for the early lead by Nates Mineshaft. “They went quick,” Amoss said. “He didn’t make the lead, and he got discouraged.” Grand Contender’s usual style, to set the pace, will be in play again, Amoss said. “We’re going to the front,” he said.

◗ Grand Contender looks like the classiest front-runner in this group, but he might not get the lead to himself. Caribbean Storm and Go Go Rocket are others who generally race close to the early pace.

Call Me George (Last 3 Beyers: 94-92-97)

◗ This Grant Forster trainee has raced in graded races in three of his last four starts. Call Me George, who was third in the 1 1/4-mile, Grade 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup on Nov. 29 in his last start, made a solid late run. He finished 2 1/4 lengths behind Red Rifle, who finished third in the Grade 3 Mineshaft last weekend at Fair Grounds in his comeback race.

◗ A contested early pace, which wouldn’t be surprising, would be beneficial to Call Me George.