Maker has four entered in Fair Grounds Handicap

NEW ORLEANS – It feels like trainer Mike Maker has cornered the market on turf-stakes horses this winter.

Maker’s trio of runners swept the top three placings last month in the John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston, and Maker, in Granny’s Kitten, Greengrassofyoming, Oscar Nominated, and Enterprising, has four of the nine entrants in the Grade 3, $125,000 Fair Grounds Handicap on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

“I wish there were more opportunities for them,” said Maker, who confirmed that he plans to start all four horses. “Everybody is here and ready to roll.”

Granny’s Kitten exits what might have been the best race of his career, a neck victory over Western Reserve in the Grade 3 Col. E.R. Bradley at 1 1/16 miles here last month. The Fair Grounds Handicap will be contested over 1 1/8 miles, a distance at which Granny’s Kitten has won two of his three starts but which might better suit Greengrassofyoming. Greengrassofyoming finished third in the 1 1/2-mile Connally but finished fastest when beaten a nose here Dec. 17 in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial. At his summer peak, he was a close fourth in the Arlington Million.

Oscar Nominated was second in the Connally but appears to be more of a one-paced staying-type horse. Enterprising in his most recent start finished second by a neck in the Sunshine Millions Turf, a restricted race at Gulfstream.

“It’s a toss of the coin between them, really,” Maker said. “I think they’d take turns beating each other. The race setup and trouble come into play. Feet to the fire, I’d have to take Granny’s Kitten. He’s run so well over this course.”

All four of the Makers might have Western Reserve to catch in what appears to be a race lacking real speed. Western Reserve won the Diliberto by a nose, then set the pace and was nailed late while finishing a close second in the Bradley.

“He doesn’t have to be on the lead, that’s for sure, but I don’t think he’s a horse that has to have something to run at either,” trainer Brad Cox said. “If he can idle it around the first turn and down the backstretch, I think he’ll be tough to catch.”

Bullards Alley, Blame Angel, One Mean Man, and Golden Soul complete the field.

Believe in Bertie formidable

Believe in Bertie went straight to the front, opened a huge lead down the backstretch, and never came anywhere near being threatened in winning the Pago Hop Stakes on Dec. 31 at Fair Grounds by almost eight lengths. Her time for about one mile on turf was 1:34.22, faster than any horse ever had run the distance here.

Now, about-distance timing can be tricky, but there’s no doubt that Believe in Bertie ran exceptionally well in the Pago Hop, yet that doesn’t guarantee success in the Daisy Devine. Believe in Bertie, a Louisiana-bred 4-year-old, moves from age-restricted competition into a race against older horses while stretching out to 1 1/16 miles against capable competition.

“This will be tougher than the Pago Hop. We’ll see how she steps up,” trainer Brad Cox said. “She’s got a ton of speed, an unbelievably high cruising speed.”

There’s a second front-runner in the Daisy Devine, Freudie Anne, but it remains to be seen whether she can keep up with Believe in Bertie. Also entered are the top three finishers from the Jan. 21 Marie Krantz Memorial here: Kitten’s Roar, Prado’s Sweet Ride, and Cambodia. Kitten’s Roar won by a nose over Prado’s Sweet Ride while getting a far better trip, and both Prado’s Sweet Ride and Cambodia, who ran better in an allowance race two starts ago than in the Krantz, can turn the tables.

Mexican Miss was cross-entered in a race at Sam Houston and will be scratched in favor of that spot, according to trainer Joe Sharp.

Latent Revenge can turn tables

Green Mask required the length of the long Fair Grounds homestretch to wear down the pacesetting Latent Revenge when they met at level weights Dec. 17 in the Bonapaw Stakes here. The two turf sprinters tangle again Saturday in the $50,000 Colonel Power, and with Latent Revenge getting a four-pound weight break, 121-117, maybe he can hold off Green Mask this time.

The front-running Latent Revenge is the clear speed of the 5 1/2-furlong grass race since American Sailor, the only other front-runner entered, will be scratched in favor of a start at Sam Houston.

Latent Revenge, drawn on the outside for trainer Greg Foley and jockey Cisco Torres, has done most of his best work on the Fair Grounds course, and while five furlongs probably is his preferred trip, he need only find a little more late punch to hold clear Green Mask this time.

Green Mask undoubtedly is the horse to beat, but he’ll be heavily favored and must break alertly and work out a trip from his rail draw. Hogy is the third horse with a reasonable chance to win, but his late-running style puts him at a tactical disadvantage.