Rodeo's Castle to go in Kings Court

Rodeo's Castle is staying home.

After toying with the idea of running one of the region's quickest horses next month at Belmont Park, owner Byron House 3rd and trainer Beverly Fowler decided on Tuesday that Rodeo's Castle will make his next start Sunday at his home track of Louisiana Downs. He is being pointed for the $50,000 Kings Court.

Rodeo's Castle won at the six-furlong distance of the Kings Court in his last start, when he captured the $75,000 Ford Express at Lone Star Park in a blazing 1:07.85. He was so sharp Tuesday in his morning exercise that House said the decision was made to point for the Kings Court now, rather than wait for a race like the Grade 2 True North at Belmont on June 11.

The Kings Court also gives Rodeo's Castle more stakes experience before delving into deeper waters, said House, and there is the added advantage of the race being at the horse's base of Louisiana Downs.

"He ran so good in his first two races, his maiden and his next race, at Louisiana Downs, so we know he loves the track," said House.

Rodeo's Castle earned a Beyer Figure of 91 when he won his debut by 10 lengths last year at Louisiana Downs, and one start later he romped by six lengths at the track. Jeff Burningham will ride Rodeo's Castle on Sunday.

House said that in the long term, he still wants Rodeo's Castle to shoot for a graded stakes. The horse will also be pointed for one of two stakes on the Claiming Crown card at Canterbury Park in July.

Rodeo's Castle won his maiden for a claiming price of $7,500.

Big debut winner for Morris

Pourthecoaltoit turned in a huge performance last Friday, when he won his career debut by 12 3/4 lengths in an effort that puts him on pace for the $40,000 Pioneer Stakes on June 26 at Louisiana Downs.

"It was a surprise to win by that much," said David Morris, who trains Pourthecoaltoit. "At four and a half furlongs, it's pretty hard to get that far ahead."

Pourthecoaltoit took the lead after the start Friday, and increased his advantage at each call, upsetting a field of 2-year-olds at 23-1. Morris also sent out Grady O in that race, and despite being more highly regarded than his stablemate by Morris, Grady O finished seventh.

"I expected to run first and second," said Morris. "I just thought it would be the other way around. Grady O had outworked Pourthecoaltoit, but he didn't get out of the gate really good. There's not a half-length difference in these two."

Morris said plans are to also run Grady O back in the Pioneer. Both colts are also eligible for the $45,000 Razorback Futurity for Arkansas-bred colts and geldings at Louisiana Downs on Sept. 24.

Morris has a training center in Hampton, Ark., which is about 120 miles from Louisiana Downs. He has a 30-horse stable, with some horses, like Pourthecoaltoit, racing for himself and his wife, Debbie, and others, like Grady O, for clients like Robin and Jackie Goodwin.

Rico Flores rode Pourthecoaltoit on Friday.

"He's from California," said Morris. "They said this is his first meet over here. He's a good little rider, and I like him."

Pourthe coaltoit is a son of Storm and a Half, whose progeny swept the first two places in last year's Razorback Futurity.

New dimension for 'Ketch'

Ketchmewhereyoucan is quick and tends to be one to catch in her races, but she used a different approach on Saturday to win the first stakes of her career in the $50,000 Dixie Miss.

"She broke a little tardy," said Tommie Morgan, who trains Ketchmewhereyoucan. The trainer said jockey John Jacinto "used that to her advantage and made her sit right back off of it. She responded, and then when the running started, she picked it right up."

Ketchmewhereyoucan won the six-furlong Dixie Miss, which was restricted to 3-year-old fillies, by 1 1/4 lengths. There are not many sprint options in the region for her division in the near future, and Morgan said he was not opposed to trying turf with Ketchmewhereyoucan.

"We've got to wait and see what comes up," said Morgan. "I'm really not in any big rush to try to push her right back into something else."

* A summer goal for top Louisiana-bred Spritely Walker, who is entered in an optional claiming allowance Friday, is the $50,000 Pola Benoit Memorial on the Louisiana-bred night of stakes at Evangeline Downs on July 2, said his trainer, Steve Asmussen.