Locally Owned looks tough for home team in sprint

The heart of Mardi Gras season has opened in New Orleans, and a horse with New Orleans connections stands a strong chance in the Thursday feature at Fair Grounds.

Locally Owned is trained by New Orleans native Al Stall and owned by G M B Racing, whose principal is Gayle Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans. He starts in the featured seventh race Thursday, a first-level allowance for 3-year-olds carded for six furlongs and open to $50,000 claimers, and one could run the Mardi Gras link even deeper if one were inclined.

Mardi Gras attire demands costuming, often including masks, and it was an eye-covering adjustment Stall made earlier this meet that helped turn Locally Owned the right direction. Stall fitted Locally Owned with a set of blinkers before his most recent start Jan. 19, and the colt, by Distorted Humor, jumped right into a sprint race after lagging during the early and middle portions in previous routes.

“He’s stepped forward with maturity, staying in the bridle the whole race, and the blinkers kept him in the bridle,” Stall said. “Every other race he’d drop the bridle and pick it back up in the stretch. He’s growing and maturing all the time, and for the better.”

Cutting back from routes to a sprint also appeared to benefit Locally Owned, and main contenders he faces Thursday are trying that move. Cornacchia, touted and well bet in his sprint debut Dec. 22, overcame trouble there to win by a nose, but stretched to two turns by trainer Brad Cox in a February allowance race, Cornacchia turned in a flat finish. He should benefit from cutting back to six furlongs Thursday, as should two others, Malpais and West Texas, who exit failed attempts in two-turn starts.

Malpais, off a blowout sprint maiden win Dec. 19, contested the early Lecomte Stakes pace before fading badly in the final quarter-mile. Students of jockey-ology will note that Adam Beschizza, de facto first-call rider for Malapis’s trainer, Joe Sharp, winds up on Locally Owned.

West Texas aired debuting in a $30,000 maiden-claimer but couldn’t stay two turns in an allowance race won by the very promising Dream Maker. He has less upside than either Malpais or Cornnachia, and even they might be trailing Locally Owned, who could lead home this parade the Thursday before Fat Tuesday.