Synchrony surges in Fair Grounds Handicap

NEW ORLEANS – Synchrony’s promising move to turf in 2017 was cut short by nagging but manageable physical problems. No matter – he is back with a vengeance in 2018.

Making his first start since May 27, Synchrony tore through the homestretch under Joe Bravo and whipped past 13-10 favorite Mr. Misunderstood to win the Grade 3, $150,000 Fair Grounds Handicap by two lengths on Saturday. Mr. Misunderstood, facing older horses for the first time, had won his first eight races on turf before his second-place finish Saturday. As the starting highweight, he carried 119 pounds, four more than Synchrony.

Synchrony, a 5-year-old homebred owned by Josephine Abercrombie’s Pin Oak Stable, had been training with verve for his comeback run, impressing trainer Mike Stidham and jockey Joe Bravo with his recent workouts.

“But you never know til race day,” Bravo said.

Synchrony was 10th among 12 horses after a half-mile of the Fair Grounds, but far ahead of him the leaders had tripped the timer at 47.44 seconds, an intemperate fraction for a 1 1/8-mile grass race on this course. A furlong farther along and Bravo was feeling confident as Synchrony, full of run, barreled around the turn and into the homestretch.

“I got really excited at the three-eighths pole,” he said.

Mr. Misunderstood was racing just ahead of Synchrony coming off the turn, and jockey Florent Geroux, seeing the horse to beat coming outside him, asked his mount to go. The two came into the homestretch six or seven paths off the fence, brushing at the head of the lane. Synchrony leaned in and athletically absorbed the contact, straightening up and finding a gear past the furlong pole Mr. Misunderstood couldn’t match.

Synchrony was timed in 1:48.82 over firm turf and paid $11 to win. It looked like Synchrony ran the best race of his career, and he earned a new top Beyer Speed Figure of 100. It was five lengths from Mr. Misunderstood back to third-place Tiz A Slam, a 43-1 shot. Catcho En Die, the 7-2 second choice in from Florida for trainer Bill Mott, had no stretch punch and finished ninth.

Synchrony, a 5-year-old horse, is by Tapit and out of the good race mare Brownie Points. As a 3-year-old in the barn of trainer Donnie Von Hemel he finished third in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes on dirt, but a long layoff followed, and when Synchrony returned he was trained by Stidham, who soon switched him to turf. Synchrony was coming along nicely last spring, but underlying issues suggested a patient approach.

“This was a plan that started way back last summer,” Stidham said. “We got together and decided to give the horse some time and have him fresh and ready. It’s paid off. We’re excited to have him back in such good form this year.”

If Synchrony’s form holds, he figures to be a major player here next month in the Grade 2, $300,000 Mervin Muniz Handicap.