Limonite on target for Louisiana Derby

Steve Asmussen expected Limonite to benefit from his 3-year-old debut in the Risen Star Stakes and said Thursday that the colt remains on track to make his second start this year in the March 23 Louisiana Derby.

“He came out of the race well and we’re on target for that,” Asmussen said.

Limonite worked an easy half-mile in 52.40 seconds on Feb. 25.

:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 Kentucky Derby contenders with comments from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker

Limonite kept good company and never was worse than third in four starts at age 2, capping his season with a closing third-place finish in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill, a race whose ultimate strength still is being determined. Its winner, Signalman, was scheduled to run back Saturday in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream, while runner-up Plus Que Parfait has disappointed in his two Fair Grounds races this winter. Limonite had several spots of traffic during the Risen Star and ran solidly to finish about seven lengths behind War of Will, the easy winner.

Meanwhile, Asmusssen said Fair Grounds-based 4-year-old filly Midnight Bisou is on track to start March 16 at Oaklawn Park in the Azeri Stakes, a lead-in to the Grade 1 Apple Blossom in April. Midnight Bisou, third in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at the end of her 3-year-old season, won her 4-year-old debut, the Jan. 27 Houston Ladies Classic, but in a manner far less dominant than her 1-5 odds in the race.

Finally, Asmussen is bringing back Tenfold in an allowance race on the Mardi Gras card Tuesday. Tenfold won the Jim Dandy Stakes last summer at Saratoga, and hasn’t started since he finished seventh in the Travers Stakes.

Catalano sorting out spots

Trainer Wayne Catalano said that Liora, a well-beaten second behind Serengeti Empress last month in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes, would make her next start March 23 in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks. Liora was an upset winner of the Golden Rod Stakes last November at Churchill Downs, disappointed in the Silverbulletday in January at Fair Grounds, but bounced back with her best race in the Rachel Alexandra.

Catalano said that the 3-year-old colt Manny Wah, third in the Lecomte and sixth in the Risen Star, wouldn’t run in the Louisiana Derby. Manny Wah remains at Catalano’s barn in New Orleans but is getting a freshening and is likely to cut back from route racing to one turn in his next start.

Winter Sunset, who Catalano believes can emerge as a stable star, worked a sharp five furlongs in 1:00 on Feb. 25, her first breeze since beating the talented filly Elsa in a $60,000 turf stakes Feb. 9 at Fair Grounds. Winter Sunset remains on track to start in the Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs.