Potomac River targeting Mervin H. Muniz

NEW ORLEANS – Potomac River, who hasn’t raced since being injured in the Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap in March, is back in training, and trainer Jose Camejo is targeting this year’s Muniz on Feb. 28 at Fair Grounds for him.

On Jan. 25, Potomac River had his third three-furlong workout since he arrived at Fair Grounds in early December. Last season, he won the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Handicap on turf before finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Muniz.

“He pulled a muscle in his right stifle,” Camejo said. “After that, we brought him back to Kentucky. He got six months of rest, let it heal. He’s doing fantastic. He’s a different horse now in every way. I think he needed that time. If everything seems well, we’d like to run him before that race [the Muniz]. I’m glad to have him back.”

With a small stable, Camejo has had a productive meet, having won 3 of 13 starts through Thursday. The Louisiana Kid, a Louisiana-bred gelding, provided two of those victories, winning an optional-claiming race Nov. 21 and the $50,000 Louisiana Champions Day Starter Handicap on Dec. 13. Camejo had claimed The Louisiana Kid for $5,000 on July 19 at Monmouth Park with Champions Day in mind. There were 11 other claims on the gelding, and Camejo won the shake.

“I got lucky,” he said. “I was joking with my wife [Maggie], ‘After they tell us we’ve got him, we’re going to pick him up.’ ”

Camejo is pointing The Louisiana Kid to the $65,000 Louisiana Premier Night Gentlemen Starter on Feb. 7 at Delta Downs.