Lemons Forever has first breeze of the year

NEW ORLEANS Trainer Dallas Stewart sent 2006 Kentucky Oaks winner Lemons Forever out for her first work of the year last week at Fair Grounds, a light three-furlong breeze in 38.40 seconds.

She just had a nice, easy breeze, said Stewart. We want her to have a steady progression as we get her back on the work tab. Well have her out once a week or so now. Hopefully well get her ready to give her a race here.

Lemons Forever, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid, won the Oaks as the longest shot in a 14-horse field at 47-1. She made five more starts after the Oaks, all in Grade 1 company, with her best finish a third to Pine Island in the Alabama. She concluded her season with a fifth-place finish in the Breeders Cup Distaff.

On Thursday, Stewart saddled the good-looking 3-year-old colt Weather Warning to his second consecutive victory at Fair Grounds. After having problems at the start in his first two races, Weather Warning led at every call to beat maidens here last month at six furlongs. On Thursday, he handled entry-level allowance foes at 5 1/2 furlongs, winning by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:05.40 and striding out after the finish like he wanted to run farther.

Hes a real nice colt, Stewart said. Weve been taking our time with him. Weve got a couple of short races in him now. Were going to keep taking our time with him and choosing his races carefully to get some bottom into him. Hes definitely got some heart, so well probably stretch him out at some point.

Amoss wins on jump with two claims

Twice in the past week, Fair Groundss leading trainer Tom Amoss has saddled recent claims to win allowance races. Sumneytown trounced allowance foes last Sunday after being claimed for $16,000 on Dec. 30. On Thursday Bettern Biscuits won a turf allowance in her first start for Amoss after being claimed for $50,000 in November.

In both cases Amoss waited patiently for the race that fit the horse. While he admitted that Sumneytown was a gamble he was even-handed about Bettern Biscuits.

In fairness, this filly was claimed for $50,000; thats a lot of money, Amoss said. To make the transition to allowance company is not that huge a jump. I think that when we claimed her she was a developing filly. She won the day we claimed her.

DQ may slow down Talamo

Apprentice jockey Joseph Talamo III continues his domination of the Fair Grounds jockey standings, winning three races on Thursday and five more on Friday. His disqualification aboard Take It by Storm in Thursdays seventh race could result in a suspension, however, pending a meeting Saturday between state steward Roy Wood and association stewards Don Brumfield and Peter Kosiba.