Track Phantom, Hall of Fame back in business Saturday

Saturday is comeback day for a pair of Steve Asmussen-trained 3-year-olds.

Track Phantom, last seen finishing 11th in the Kentucky Derby, and Hall of Fame, most recently 10th in the Louisiana Derby, start in separate allowance races at Churchill Downs.

Track Phantom has accomplished far more than his stablemate, winning the Gun Runner and the Lecomte last winter at Fair Grounds. Accordingly, he returns in a salty higher-level allowance over seven furlongs.

“It’s a very fast race, but he’s a nice horse and ready to play. This is the right place to start him out, but he’ll get back to two turns,” Asmussen said.

Hall of Fame, who runs in a first-level allowance, dazzled scoring a second-start Fair Grounds maiden route win by more than 10 lengths on Jan. 20 before fizzling in the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby.

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“He had one gigantic race, and we’re left wondering. He is an unbelievable physical and training very well right now,” Asmussen said.

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