Long road trip likely for See How She Runs

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - See How She Runs, who remained unbeaten in four career starts with her win in the Grade 2, $200,000 Fantasy on April 12, will likely start next in either the Grade 1, $250,000-added Selene Stakes at Woodbine on May 20, or the Grade 2, $200,000 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico on May 17.

See How She Runs is also under consideration for the $150,000 Stonerside Stakes over seven furlongs at her Lone Star Park base on May 25, but right now, trainer Donnie Von Hemel said he is more inclined to keep the filly racing around two turns.

A more probable local spot for her would be July 4, he said, in the $125,000 Walmac Lone Star Oaks at 1 1/16 miles on turf, a surface she should take to given that her half-brother, Hasten to Add, was a champion turf horse in Canada.

See How She Runs, a daughter of Maria's Mon who races for Pin Oak Stable, has accomplished much in her four career starts, all of which came this spring at Oaklawn.

"At the beginning of the meet, she was a non-starter maiden, and by the end of the meet, a graded stakes winner," said Von Hemel. "That's a long way to come in a couple of months."

Don Pettinger is the regular rider on See How She Runs.

French Assault has Crohn's Disease

French Assault, the $100,000 El Joven winner last year who finished a good sixth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, is back at his Lone Star base after being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.

The colt had been recently sent to an Irving, Texas, clinic for tests, and was determined to have Crohn's, a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines. Last month, because of an unknown intestinal problem, French Assault was forced to withdraw from the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby.

"He looks 100 percent better than he did two days ago," said trainer Keith Desormeaux. "The good news is the vets were concerned it was some kind of cancer, lymphoma carcinoma, but the tests proved negative for that. It's still not good that he has this, but there's at least light at the end of the tunnel."

Desormeaux said steroid treatment is an option to try and combat the disease. In about two weeks, he plans to ship French Assault to a new Maurice, La., farm and training center built by himself and his father, Harris. The 60-acre facility, named Thoroughbred Acadiana, has a six-furlong track and a 40-stall barn.

The assistant trainer at Thoroughbred Acadiana is Patrick Mannuel, who worked closely with French Assault at the Breeders' Cup. "[Patrick] knows this horse well," said Desormeaux.

Nanie's Dinner resumes training

Nanie's Dinner, a seven-time stakes winner, has resumed training, and is being pointed for the $100,000 Allen Bogan Memorial for state-breds at Lone Star on June 29. She won the race last year, as well as two other stakes at Louisiana Downs.

Nanie's Dinner has not raced since last fall, and during her time away from the races had knee and ankle bone chips removed.

"She's rehabed very well," said trainer Larry Robideaux, Jr.

Robideaux said his longterm goal for the mare this season is the Great State Challenge at Sam Houston Race Park in December.

Horse returns from five year layoff

Tale's of Ocala, an 11-year-old who has not raced since finishing sixth in a $5,000 claiming race at Lone Star during its inaugural season on April 30, 1997, returns to action in the third race Sunday. And, he is not the lone long layoff horse in the race. Texas Shuttle, a 7-year-old, will be making his first start since Sept. 1, 2000.

Wild Squaw, sixth last out in the second division of the $75,000 Irving Distaff at Lone Star, drops in class to allowance/optional claiming company in the ninth Sunday, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares worth $30,000. Anthony Lovato rides for trainer Cole Norman.