Red Rifle back from layoff for Mineshaft

NEW ORLEANS – Many bettors probably will be scratching their heads when sorting through the large, competitive fields of 4-year-olds and up racing Saturday in the Mineshaft and Fair Grounds handicaps, a pair of Grade 3 races on the Risen Star undercard at Fair Grounds.

The $125,000 Mineshaft, a 1 1/16-mile race on dirt, drew 11 entrants but lost a horse Thursday when the sale of the Louisiana Handicap winner Hard Aces, who had the look of a serious contender, finally was completed. Larry Jones, a co-owner and the horse’s trainer, said Hard Aces is headed out of town and will be scratched.

The $125,000 Fair Grounds Handicap, a turf race at about 1 1/8 miles, attracted 11 entrants. Quadrivium, trained by Graham Motion, was entered in both races.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, who has a history of success with horses returning from layoffs, is running Red Rifle in the Mineshaft. Red Rifle hasn’t raced since winning the Hawthorne Gold Cup on Nov. 29.

“I think he’s better at a mile and an eighth to a mile and a half, but we just decided we needed a place to get him started, and this seemed like a logical place,” Pletcher said.

The card also includes two $60,000 stakes – the Duncan F. Kenner, a six-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up, and the Bayou Stakes, for older fillies and mares going about 1 1/16 miles on turf.

:: DRF Live: Watch live handicapping analysis of Saturday’s biggest races, starting at 12:30 Eastern

Mineshaft Handicap (race 8)

Key contenders

Red Rifle (Last 3 Beyers: 97-94-94)

* The field isn’t loaded with early speed. Red Rifle, who led all the way in the Hawthorne Gold Cup, and Nates Mineshaft (who is cross-entered in the Duncan F. Kenner) look like the most likely front-runners.

* Red Rifle is among three graded stakes winners in the field. The others – Majestic Harbor and Nates Mineshaft – would need to rebound from shaky recent form.

Class Leader (Last 3 Beyers: 95-81-82)

* Class Leader tired in deep stretch in his return from a layoff and was caught near the finish line in an optional-claiming race at this distance Feb. 1. He has worked twice since that race for trainer Neil Howard, and with improved fitness, he might be a longshot threat from off the pace.

Irish You Well (Last 3 Beyers: 96-100-86)

* Wayne Catalano trainee hasn’t raced since finishing fourth in the Haskell Invitational, nine lengths behind the eventual Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, Bayern.

Fair Grounds Handicap (race 9)

Key contenders

Pyrite Mountain (Last 3 Beyers: 87-79-97)

* Pyrite Mountain, returning for Pletcher from a three-month layoff, had a wide trip and finished fourth in optional-claiming company Jan. 17 at Gulfstream Park.

“We made the error of keeping him too close last time,” Pletcher said.

* Pyrite Mountain’s best performance came in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup, a 1 1/2-mile race at Kentucky Downs.

“He’s probably at his best going a little farther,” Pletcher said.

* That said, this 11-horse field lacks an obvious horse to beat, and a fit horse with stamina merits attention.

Glenard (No previous Beyer)

* Another fit horse with stamina is Glenard, whose last 12 starts have ranged in distance from 1 1/2 to 2 5/16 miles. This will be Glenard’s first race for owner Andrew Stone and trainer Graham Motion, who said Stone bought the gelding with the shorter distances of U.S. racing in mind. Motion has a history of succeeding with former Europeans, with Main Sequence at the top of the list.

* Glenard’s five-furlong workout in 58.40 seconds Feb. 9 on the Palm Meadows turf indicates that the gelding isn’t a plodder.

“That kind of gives us encouragement to take a shot,” Motion said.

Skyring (Last 3 Beyers: 97-86-74)

* Last year, when D. Wayne Lukas trained Skyring, he lost the Fair Grounds Handicap by a nose to Potomac River before winning the Mervin Muniz Memorial. This will be Skyring’s third race under trainer Neil Drysdale. Skyring might be the one to catch.

Bayou Stakes (race 7)

Key contenders

Notte d’Oro (Last 3 Beyers: 84-84-78)

* Mike Stidham trainee will be spotting six pounds to stablemate and likely favorite Istanford, a multiple graded stakes winner, but Notte d’Oro is undefeated in three turf starts, all on this course. She won the Marie Krantz Memorial with a strong rally past Eden Prairie, and there’s no reason to think Notte d’Oro isn’t capable of taking another step forward. She’ll probably offer more attractive odds than Istanford.

Istanford (Last 3 Beyers: 76-93-94)

* She hasn’t raced since fading Oct. 4 in the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland, but solid workouts at Fair Grounds indicate she’ll be ready.

* A front-runner, Istanford won three stakes last year, including a win against boys in the Grade 3 Arlington Classic and a 2 1/2-length win in the Grade 2 San Clemente at Del Mar.

Duncan F. Kenner Stakes (race 4)

Key contenders

Delaunay (Last 3 Beyers: 101-112-94)

* Having won the Bonapaw Stakes and Thanksgiving Handicap at this meet, Delaunay, a multiple graded stakes winner trained by Tom Amoss, is 6 for 7 overall at Fair Grounds. The highweight at 123 pounds, Delaunay clearly is the horse to beat. Pressure early from Bet Seattle could hamper Delaunay and perhaps help the chances of the late-running Too Dim.

* Amoss said he’s not concerned about the weight assignment.

“He’s carried weight before,” Amoss said. “He’s carried it successfully. He’s a big guy. We’re comfortable with it.”