Two Emmys, Gentle Soul rematched in Fair Grounds Stakes
NEW ORLEANS – Gentle Soul ran the best race of his life beating Two Emmys five weeks ago in the Colonel E.R. Bradley Stakes. Two Emmys has run better races than that many times in his life and has a strong chance to reverse last month’s form in the Grade 3, $150,000 Fair Grounds Stakes.
Both horses appear to relish the local turf – what’s left of it. The inside half of the course was badly damaged (Churchill Downs Inc. officials blame a saltwater-contaminated well used for irrigation) before this meet began in November, and when the grass finally was deemed usable in late December, the temporary turf rail was set very far out in the course, 34 feet, restricting field size to eight.
There it’s remained for the very limited turf season, and when Gentle Soul defeated Two Emmys, the course had a powerful outside closing bias. Jockeys battled for position nearest the outside fence, which Gentle Soul found in midstretch, running late to beat Two Emmys by a neck. A 6-year-old with just 10 starts, Gentle Soul cleared his first- and second-level allowance conditions over the Fair Grounds grass last season. He raced inside against the bias and with the wrong forwardly placed trip when fourth Dec. 26 in the Diliberto Memorial.
Trainer Bret Calhoun said Gentle Soul has trained since the Bradley as though he’ll perform his best Saturday.
That might not be enough. Gentle Soul picks up four pounds to carry 122, giving four pounds to Two Emmys, who has a longer, stronger résumé. A 7-year-old purchased at a yearling auction for $4,500 by his trainer and co-owner Hugh Robertson, Two Emmys now has banked more than $835,000 and has gone 4-3-1 from 10 Fair Grounds grass races. It was there the depth of his capability came forth through a second-place finish behind top-class Colonel Liam in the 2021 Muniz Memorial, a race Two Emmys won last season.
Unstarted since June, Two Emmys needed the Bradley for fitness and wasn’t comfortable with his trip, Robertson said. Riding to the bias, jockey James Graham kept Two Emmys wide throughout, steering right into the homestretch when Two Emmys wanted to drop down to the rail.
“I don’t think he ever really relaxed,” Robertson said. “He’s not used to running out in the middle of the track like that. He wanted to lug in and get down to the fence like he usually does.”
The turf bias ebbed over the last two racing weeks, and Graham this time can let Two Emmys get more comfortable, likely as the speed of the race.
Cavalry Charge has lost six in a row, some of those with excuses, since he rode an inside speed bias to an upset in this race a year ago. Bay Street Money looks light on Beyer Speed Figures but has two wins and a fast-closing third facing similar competition last out at Gulfstream since Mike Maker began training him.
Colonel Power Stakes
Surveillance has proven to be the best older male dirt sprinter stabled at Fair Grounds this winter and a move to turf Saturday in the $100,000 Colonel Power Stakes might not end his local winning skein.
Surveillance has won six Fair Grounds starts in a row, three last season and the Thanksgiving Classic, the Richard Scherer Memorial, and the Duncan Kenner at this meet. The first of those six wins came sprinting over the Fair Grounds grass course, and trainer Keith Desormeaux has been aiming for this grass race since Surveillance captured the Kenner last month.
Surveillance is drawn in post 8 and should stalk what figures to be a very modest pace by turf-sprint standards. Angaston, who hasn’t raced since June 2021 and has started only once since August 2019, figures to go forward, with Yankee Seven, an upset candidate, pressing the leader.
Twirling Roses is expected to be scratched, which would allow Evan Sing into the field. A two-time winner from six starts, Evan Sing won his debut over this course last March and showed ample promise through last summer. He has better positional pace than his last two starts would indicate and has been on a solid work pattern for trainer Al Stall.
Stall also runs Pyron, who rates a strong chance. Ignore his poor form over the spring and summer; Pyron has thrived since returning to New Orleans, and his turf-sprint form from last season clearly fits this spot.
Manny Wah and Ice Chocolat need only run their standard race to be competitive in a fairly soft contest.
◗ Four-year-olds Trail Ridge Road and Soft Touch, first and second in a Jan. 13 Fair Grounds grass-route allowance, have more room to improve than their older rivals, and both can factor in the $100,000 Albert M. Stall Memorial Stakes. The Albert Stall Memorial is scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on turf.
Trail Ridge Road rode the outside-closing bias toward a narrow win over pacesetting Soft Touch last month, and with the bias recently receding, Soft Touch has a chance to turn the tables. Logical short price Lake Lucerne, owned like Soft Touch by Godolphin but uncoupled in the betting, has lost 12 in a row.
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