More Ice finds more modest company in Louisiana Downs allowance

More Ice, who ran in last year’s Santa Anita Derby, returns to turf Wednesday for the fourth race at Louisiana Downs.

The optional $17,500 claiming race for 3-year-olds and up carries second-level allowance conditions. It will be run at about a mile on the grass. There are two other turf routes with similar conditions on the card, with one for fillies and mares and the other for horses bred in Louisiana.

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More Ice last raced at Oaklawn and finished sixth in a $40,000 conditioned claimer at a mile Feb. 27. Earlier in his career, he won his debut and a first-level allowance at a mile on turf at Del Mar in 2018 and also ran third in that year’s Eddie Logan at the same distance on the grass at Santa Anita.

More Ice earned his shot at the Santa Anita Derby after running third in the El Camino Real Derby on the synthetic surface at Golden Gate in 2019. He would go on to finish sixth in the Santa Anita Derby.

More Ice will break from post 4 under Gerardo Mora on Wednesday, when he makes his first start for Louisiana Downs-based trainer Joey Foster.

The chief threats appear to be Make Me Smile, who returns to the John Franks turf course over which he ran second in last year’s A.L. “Red” Erwin, and Lucky Andy, who could go favored for trainer Karl Broberg, who is winning races at a 43 percent clip at Louisiana Downs.