St. John's River getting a break on the farm

St. John’s River is getting a 60-day vacation following her fifth-place finish in the Alabama and will then “crank up” for the Fair Grounds meet, said her trainer, Andrew Leggio Jr. Earlier this year, the filly ran second in the Kentucky Oaks and won the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks.

St. John’s River was shipped from Saratoga to the Lexington, Ky., farm of her owner, Dede McGehee, this past week, arriving Thursday. In the Grade 1 Alabama on Aug. 20, she ran an uncharacteristic fifth at 4-1.

“We’re going to give her a little break,” Leggio said. “We’ll keep her at the farm for about two months, freshen her up a little bit. She came out of the race fine, no physical problems. I just don’t think she took to the track the other day.

“When she got back to the barn right after the race, she was playing and kicking.”

St. John’s River is to rejoin Leggio’s stable at Fair Grounds. The New Orleans track will be his base following the close of the Louisiana Downs meet Sept. 25.

“We’re going to get her back in New Orleans, crank her up for Fair Grounds,” said Leggio, who at this point has no specific race targeted for St. John’s River.

The filly was second by a half-length in last meet’s Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks.

Lovenotlost likely for River Cities

Trainer Wes Hawley, who swept the 3-year-old stakes on the recent Louisiana Cup card at Louisiana Downs, is now plotting a course of action for Get in Da House and Lovenotlost. Those horses earned career-high Beyer Speed Figures for their efforts, with Get in Da House putting up a 90 in the Derby, and Lovenotlost an 85 in the Oaks.

Lovenotlost romped by seven lengths. She won on dirt, but is also a stakes winner on turf, and her turn of foot serves her well on the grass, said Hawley. So he is now looking at going back to turf for the $100,000 River Cities for fillies and mares on the Super Derby undercard Sept. 10.

“The race she ran the other day was so impressive – that’s why I’m even thinking about running her with the older mares,” Hawley said. “I don’t want to the present time, but you’ve got to sometime.”

Hawley said Lovenotlost is not eligible for the upcoming Elge Rasberry, a sales stakes for 3-year-old fillies bred in Louisiana.

Get In Da House, however, is eligible for the Rasberry’s counterpart for males, the $150,000 A.L. “Red” Erwin on Sept. 24.

“At the present time, I’m looking at the Red Erwin with Get in Da House,” Hawley said. “I don’t think I’m going to run in the Super Derby, but there’s a possibility-slim, but a possibility.”

Get In Da House finished third in the Super Derby prep, the $100,000 Prelude, on Aug. 6.

◗ There are 372 yearlings cataloged to the Fasig-Tipton Texas auction that will be held Tuesday in the sales pavilion at Lone Star Park. The sale also includes 53 horses from the dispersal of Heiligbrodt Racing Stable.