Torres's decision to ride at Fair Grounds paying off

NEW ORLEANS – Veteran jockey Francisco Torres, who decided at the last minute to ride at Fair Grounds this season, is having a strong meet. Through Thursday, Torres stood in fourth place in the jockeys’ standings with 52 victories from 327 mounts.

Torres took advantage of the chance to reconnect with agent Derek Ducoing, who had been Rosie Napravnik’s agent in her run to four consecutive Fair Grounds riding titles.

“I was kind of hoping it would be like this,” said Torres, 46. “When Rosie decided to retire, an opportunity came about. I was going to go to Hot Springs for the winter. A couple of days before Churchill ended, [Ducoing] called me. It’s paid off so far.”

Ducoing was Torres’s agent at the 2008-09 meet, when Torres first rode in New Orleans. Torres, who won 37 races that season, lost a chance to contend for the riding title when he broke his shoulder on Jan. 5, 2009. When he was sidelined, he stood second in the standings.

Good Deed could face males

A brutal trip in the Ladies Turf Sprint cost Good Deed on Feb. 21 at Gulfstream Park, but trainer Steve Margolis, who shipped her from Fair Grounds for the race, saw enough to point her to a graded race against males.

Good Deed was bumped several times early in the race before rallying to finish second, a half-length behind Jewel of a Cat. The next start for Good Deed will be in the $150,000, Grade 3 Twin Spires Turf Sprint on the Kentucky Oaks undercard May 1 at Churchill Downs, Margolis said.

“It gives her about two months and a week,” Margolis said. “She’s run hard.”