Synchrony targeting Fair Grounds triple

NEW ORLEANS – Synchrony’s internal clock is set to correspond with the racing season in New Orleans. Early each winter an alarm sets him buzzing, reminding Synchrony to win a turf race here.

In 2017, it was his grass debut in allowance company, and the last two years Synchrony returned from a layoff and captured the Fair Grounds Handicap in February. He’ll try to make it three in a row when he starts Saturday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Fair Grounds, which like all such races here, had its handicap designation dropped this season.

“He’s doing fantastic. Physically and mentally he’s as good as he’s ever been at age 7,” said Mike Stidham, who trains Synchrony for Josephine Abercrombie’s Pin Oak Stable.

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Synchrony went on to win the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial two years ago and was third behind Bricks and Mortar in the race last March, and while his rivals are plentiful in Saturday’s nine-furlong test, none have kept anywhere near the company Synchrony has during 2018 and 2019. If Synchrony hits his established baseline and avoids compromising trouble, he wins. Stidham is reuniting Synchrony with jockey Joe Bravo, who rode him regularly through the 2019 Muniz but hasn’t been on his back since.

“He’s a little bit of a tricky horse to ride in that he can do anything you want him to do during a race. Bravo does know the horse and fits him pretty well,” Stidham said.

Rail-drawn Wound Tight will be scratched, taking a pace element out of the Muniz, but there are others who want to go forward, notably Factor This and Sailing Solo. Those two hooked up in a hot duel over a quick, inside- and speed-favoring course here Jan. 18, setting the Colonel E.R. Bradley Stakes up for Dontblamerocket, who tracked the leaders from third, inhaled them, and won by three lengths. Trainer Norm Casse has stalls at Fair Grounds but took Dontblamerocket back to the Palm Meadows training center in Florida so the gelding could continue working on turf. Dontblamerocket, a 6-year-old, has posted two grass drills between starts but is coming back four weeks after running easily the best race of his career. He’s been a horse that’s done better with time between races and might be hard-pressed to duplicate his Bradley performance.

If wide-drawn Sailing Solo were to be scratched (owner-trainer Louie Roussel is a legendary scratch man), Factor This could steal off to an easy lead. The Great Day has a tough post and wants to run longer, but he’s one of the more talented horses in the race. Others to consider – if you think Synchrony’s rhythm might be off – are Captivating Moon, Space Mountain, and Midnight Tea Time.

Mitchell back for another Stall

Mitchell Road won the $100,000 Albert Stall Memorial in 2019 despite shipping to Fair Grounds carrying less weight than trainer Bill Mott wanted to see, holding off a run from Beau Recall, who would go on to have one of the better older-female turf-route campaigns in North America last year.

Mitchell Road comes back from Florida for Saturday’s Stall Memorial in more robust health than a year ago, but might have to deal with the flowering locally based filly Zofelle, who takes a step up in class to face older horses for the first time.

Those two are part of an overflow field in the Stall, a 1 1/16-mile grass race for older fillies and mares. Still, few horses in the race seem like true win contenders barring subpar performances from the shorter prices.

Mitchell Road, however, does rely on her speed to run her best race and was defeated last out as the even-money favorite at Gulfstream after blowing the break and racing from behind. If she gets away smoothly under Joel Rosario on Saturday, she should make her way straight to the lead and over the fresh ground along the permanent rail that’ll come into use when the portable turf rail is taken down following Friday racing.

“She looks pretty good for her,” Mott said. “She’s not a huge filly, not real big, but I think she’s in fairly good flesh right now.”

Brendan Walsh seems to have no doubt Zofelle comes into the Stall in top form. The English import is 3 for 3 in America and most recently unleashed a vicious turn of foot to come from 11th and win the age- and sex-restricted Pago Hop here going away.

“This is a step up for her, but she’s passed every test so far. She worked really well the other morning, is doing awfully well. I’ve every confidence in her and don’t think we’ve seen the best of her,” Walsh said.

Chaos back for Power repeat

Chaos Theory’s first start since May could yield a second win in the $100,000 Colonel Power, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint that begins the stakes action Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Chaos Theory jumped from a first-level allowance to post a 10-1 upset in the 2019 Colonel Power and validated that performance with a strong fourth behind Imprimis and Bound for Nowhere in the Shakertown at Keeneland and a good third in World of Trouble’s Grade 2 Turf Sprint win May 3 at Churchill Downs. He was taken out of training to have bone chips surgically removed but has been breezing steadily at Palm Meadows since mid-December.

“It seems like he’s working as good as ever,” trainer Brendan Walsh said.

Fast Boat, Made You Look, and Blind Ambition appear to be the other key Colonel Power contenders.