Mo Gayle can step forward in allowance

Dallas Stewart hardly qualifies as a prolific debut trainer. Just nine of his 106 first-time starters the last five years have found the winner’s circle, and that’s just fine. Winning first time out brings its own whole set of burdens, and Stewart’s operation typically brings horses along incrementally. So, when a horse from this barn does pop first time out – like Mo Gayle did Jan. 19 – it merits extra attention.

Mo Gayle, named for Gayle Benson, principal in owner G M B Racing, closed stoutly from sixth to win by two lengths in a six-furlong maiden special weight. Stewart has given her plenty of time to recover from that performance, and Mo Gayle, back in another sprint, returns in the eighth race Saturday at Fair Grounds. She faces other winners, of course, but showed enough first out that a second victory at fair odds seems well within range.

Mo Gayle is by Uncle Mo out of Candor, by Crafty Prospector. That’s a wet-track pedigree, and Mo Gayle won her debut over a dirt track officially rated good but much closer to muddy. Saturday’s forecast calls for a good chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon, which Mo Gayle probably wouldn’t mind at all. Stewart and G M B have two-turn aspirations for Mo Gayle, a filly with scope and a nice long stride, and while she’ll have to improve to win again, she can.

The chief opposition will be perceived as Idle Hour, appropriately named since she’s been waiting a while for a race at this level (first-level allowance, $50,000 claiming option, 3-year-old fillies, sprint) to make it onto a card. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Idle Hour was an early meet debut winner before finishing a solid second to Bell’s the One (unbeaten from three starts) in the Letellier Memorial on Dec. 22. Also worthy of note is Free Cover, who has been posting bullet works for trainer Bret Calhoun after failing to handle two turns in her second start following a debut sprint win at Churchill Downs.

Race 8 is one of five allowance races on a 10-race program. Early on the card come two high-end Louisiana-bred allowances, while race 9, the daily feature, is carded at about 1 1/16 miles on turf for third-level allowance horses, nonwinners of a race during the last year, or $80,000 claimers.

Bond Street remains eligible for a second-level allowance but still bears watching in his U.S. debut, provided his race remains on turf and he actually starts. Trained by Aidan O’Brien in Ireland at ages 2 and 3, Bond Street was privately purchased and turned over to trainer Conor Murphy, who already has found success this meet with Irish import Great Wide Open. Bond Street hasn’t raced since August and “might need a run,” Murphy said.

“He’s a horse who takes plenty of work, and I’d expect him to improve for the run Saturday – if we even get to run.”

Mighty Manfred is the pick for dirt. He took a very tough beat when last seen Jan. 12 at Fair Grounds, just touched off at the wire by Heavy Roller, who returned to capture a higher-class allowance race at Oaklawn Park.