Marcus Hersh's top 3-year-olds at Fair Grounds on March 2
Top 3-year-old colts & geldings at Fair Grounds
1 - WAR STORY
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Pedigree: Northern Afleet-Belle Watling, by Pulpit
Last race: 2nd in Risen Star on Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/best Beyer: 91/91
Target race: Louisiana Derby, March 28 at Fair Grounds
Comment: Worked a half-mile on Sunday, and working back just eight days after the Risen Star is a good sign. Likely not at his best despite a career best in the Risen Star. His preparation for the race was difficult, including a round trip to Oaklawn Park for an abandoned run in the postponed Southwest Stakes. War Story missed a work and was off his feed early in the week before the Risen Star, suggesting he can do better in the Louisiana Derby.
2 – YOCKEY’S WARRIOR
Trainer: Al Stall
Pedigree: Warrior’s Reward-Silla, by Gone West
Last race: 1st in maiden special weight sprint Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/best Beyer: 97/97
Target race: Keeneland one-turn allowance race
Comment: Powerhouse debut winner is well balanced, has speed, and a female-side pedigree that suggests he will stay two turns. Will be brought along slowly, and obviously started too late for the Derby, and the plan is to run him back in a seven-furlong first-level allowance race on opening day of the Keeneland meet.
:: TOP 3-YEAR-OLDS: Aqueduct | Gulfstream | Oaklawn | Santa Anita
3 - WIRELESS FUTURE
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Pedigree: Scat Daddy-Princess Whinny, by Theatrical
Last race: 1st in allowance race on Feb. 5 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/best Beyer: 86/86
Target race: Spiral Stakes on March 21 at Turfway Park
Comment: Bred top and bottom for turf, and he does have two grass wins this winter, but also ran well beating little in an off-turf allowance race Feb. 5. He has size and substance, and a nice way of going, but though he figures to fit well in the Spiral Stakes, he has some distance to go before looking like an elite prospect.
:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays
4 – EXODUS
Trainer: Larry Jones
Pedigree: Medaglia d’Oro-Stop Traffic, by Cure the Blues
Last race: 1st in Allen’s Landing on Jan. 24 at Sam Houston
Last Beyer/best Beyer: 89/92
Target race: Undecided
Comment: Connections are keeping him short, so don’t look at him as a Derby prospect. Not sure how good he is. Got away with a fairly easy lead in his Fair Grounds maiden romp, and came home his last quarter in 24 seconds, including a fifth furlong in a snappy 11.60. Was getting late going seven furlongs at Houston, and has yet to work back five weeks later.
5 - ANOTHER LEMON DROP
Trainer: Phil Bauer
Pedigree: Lemon Drop Kid-Shytoe Lafeet, by King of Kings
Last race: 2nd in Black Gold Stakes on Feb. 28 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/best Beyer: 81/85
Target race: Undecided
Comment: He finished best and was caught behind a slow pace in the Black Gold, but still, the winner he could not quite catch was 63-1 for a reason. Would take him off this list were there anyone to replace him, but at this point, there’s not. The ranks are thin in New Orleans right now.
:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker
Fillies
1 - I’M A CHATTERBOX
Trainer: Larry Jones
Pedigree: Munnings-Chit Chatter, by Lost Soldier
Last race: 1st in Rachel Alexandra on Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/best Beyer: 90/94
Target race: Fair Grounds Oaks, March 28 at Fair Grounds
Comment: There just haven’t been a lot of really strong-looking 3-year-old fillies emerge this winter, and that after a questionable class of 2014 2-year-old fillies. Take Charge Brandi is at the top of the heap, but if you gave me the choice of playing her or Chatterbox right now in the Kentucky Oaks, give me Chatterbox. She wired the Silverbulletday on fast pace, then came from last to win the Rachel Alexandra – that’s impressive stuff. She’s a somewhat slight filly, but the trainer seems to have her figured out.
2 - LOVELY MARIA
Trainer: Larry Jones
Pedigree: Majesticperfection-Thundercup, by Thunder Gulch
Last race: 2nd in Rachel Alexandra on Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/best Beyer: 86/88
Target race: Undecided, perhaps the Ashland at Keeneland on April 4
Comment: Spoke to jockey Kerwin Clark the day after the Rachel Alexandra, and going into the race he thought he’d get a different and better trip. Instead of stalking in the second flight, as had been hoped, Lovely Maria wound up a few paths wide, without cover, and pressing a fast pace, and she was the only horse close to that pace around at the finish. Plenty talented, still improving. Somewhat short-coupled blocky type might not want much more distance than this.
3 - FOREVER UNBRIDLED
Trainer: Dallas Stewart
Pedigree: Unbridled’s Song-Lemons Forever, by Lemon Drop Kid
Last race: 3rd in Rachel Alexandra on Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/best Beyer: 85/85
Target race: Fair Grounds Oaks, March 28 at Fair Grounds
Comment: Baby steps. I expected more in January, but perhaps expected a little less than what she delivered in the Rachel Alexandra. Still, she couldn’t catch Lovely Maria for second with a much better trip, and probably should have if she’s to be taken seriously as an Oaks contender, be it of the Fair Grounds or Kentucky variety.
Honorable mention: Shook Up