Maker returns to Fair Grounds with Atone for Muniz Memorial
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A perennial participant at Fair Grounds for the previous 12 years, trainer Mike Maker has been conspicuous by his absence in New Orleans this winter, having started only one horse at the meet that concludes Sunday.
Maker said the uncertainty regarding the Fair Grounds turf course at the beginning of the meet and the plethora of dirt opportunities at Gulfstream Park, Oaklawn Park, and Aqueduct – where he has large stables – led him to skip the meet.
For the 10th straight year, however, Maker will have a runner in the Grade 2, $300,000 Muniz Memorial Classic when he starts Atone in the 1 1/8-mile turf race which is among the highlights of Saturday’s 15-race Louisiana Derby program.
Coming off a victory in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream on Jan. 28, Atone will be making his first start at Fair Grounds, bringing the total number of tracks he has run at to 11 in what will be his 24th start.
“Good race, good purse, the timing was good after the Pegasus, just fit well,” Maker said.
After winning an allowance at Aqueduct in November in front-running style, Atone came from off the pace in the 12-horse Pegasus under a terrific ride from Irad Ortiz Jr. Ortiz is at Turfway Park Saturday, so Atone will be ridden by Luis Saez, the gelding’s seventh rider in as many starts.
“I think the horse can adapt to anything that’s thrown at him,” Maker said. “He’s held his weight well. We’re expecting another big performance.”
Atone drew the rail in this 10-horse field, which means he will start from the freshest path on the turf course. Rails that have been placed at 34 feet all season are at 28 for closing weekend.
Atone will likely have to run down Two Emmys, who won the Muniz in 2022 after finishing second to Colonel Liam in 2021. Two Emmys, trained and owned in part by Hugh Robertson, was a front-running winner of the Grade 3 Fair Grounds, a race in which Muniz entrants Gentle Soul and English Tavern finished second and third, respectively.
Rising Empire, trained by Brendan Walsh, is coming off a second-level allowance win over this course and distance on Feb. 12. The 5-year-old son of Empire Maker seems to have found new life since being switched to the turf and getting blinkers.
“It’s deeper waters this time, but he hasn’t done too much wrong down there either,” Walsh said. “He deserves a shot against better company.”
Another Mystery and Spooky Channel, second and third, respectively, going 1 1/2 miles in the John Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston on Jan. 28, turn back in distance here.
Tiz the Bomb, Risk Manager, and Native Thunder complete the field.
Tom Benson
Didia showed signs of talent in Argentina and Virginia. Saturday, the 5-year-old mare returns from a seven-month layoff in the $100,000 Tom Benson Memorial for females going 1 1/16 miles on turf.
Didia, an Argentine-bred daughter of Orpen, won a pair of Group 1 stakes in Argentina in late 2021 before coming to the U.S. and trainer Ignacio Correas IV. In two starts at Colonial Downs last summer, she won an allowance and the Old Nelson Stakes – the latter produced next-out stakes winners Alms and In a Hurry.
Didia was being pointed to a stakes at Keeneland before she got sick and was put away for the year.
Correas said learning how to relax was a key to Didia’s success last summer.
“She used to be a horse that went to the lead and I did not want her to go to the lead,” Correas said. “We have a lot of expectations for her and she’s training fantastic.”
Vincent Cheminaud, aboard for both of Didia’s victories at Colonial Downs, rides from post 6.
New Year’s Eve won twice from three starts at Fair Grounds last year before storming to victory in the Grade 3 Edgewood at Churchill Downs. Following three losses to end her campaign, New Year’s Eve was freshened by trainer Brendan Walsh.
“She did her early racing in New Orleans and we thought the Benson was a good spot to come back in and start the year off,” Walsh said.
Flavien Prat rides from post 9.
She Can’t Sing, a 9-1 upset winner of this race last year, comes in off a third-place finish in the Sam Houston Ladies Classic. She goes out for Chris Block, who also sends out Trail Ridge Road, third in the Albert Stall Memorial on Feb. 18.
Adventuring cuts back from a third in the 1 1/2-mile La Prevoyante at Gulfstream, while New Boss stretches out from a pair of 5 1/2 furlong tires.
◗ Allnight Moonlight will look for his third consecutive win since trainer Ron Faucheux added blinkers when he faces seven rivals in the $100,000 Crescent City Derby for 3-year-old Louisiana-bred males, the first race on the card that kicks off at noon Central.
◗ Alpine Mist is 3 for 3 in her career. Free Drop Maddy is 3 for 3 at Fair Grounds. Something will have to give when those two start alongside each other in the $100,000 Crescent City Oaks for Louisiana-bred 3-year-old fillies at a mile and 70 yards.
Alpine Mist has made all three of her starts at Delta Downs, where she did beat Free Drop Maddy by 10 3/4 lengths in the Premier Starlet Stakes.
◗ Yankee Seven beat Berties Galaxy by two lengths in the $100,000 Costa Rising Stakes last year and those two hook up again in this year’s renewal. The 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint drew a field of 16, but is limited to nine starters.
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