Walsh's meet goes from good to great

It has been a productive first Fair Grounds meet for trainer Brendan Walsh – the last two racing weeks in particular.

Egyptian won a second-level allowance by a nose over the talented Forevamo on Feb. 17. The next day, the second-time-starting 3-year-old Multiplier was beaten a neck in a two-turn dirt maiden race by the very promising colt Souper Tapit. And those two were just a warm-up for the good Walsh did the following week.

On Feb. 24, Redesdale ran his record to three wins from three starts with an eye-catching second-level allowance win in a dirt sprint. And the next day, Honorable Duty, who had won the Tenacious Stakes in December, captured the Grade 3, $125,000 Mineshaft Handicap.

“I couldn’t be happier with the way this meet has gone,” Walsh said Sunday at his Fair Grounds barn.

Both Honorable Duty and Redesdale were bred and originally owned by Juddmonte Farms before being sold privately. Walsh himself is a co-owner of Redesdale along with Chad Schumer. David Ross’s DARRs Inc. owns Honorable Duty, who came out of his half-length win in the Mineshaft in good shape and is likely to run April 1 in the New Orleans Handicap.

“He’s strolling around there like he never ran,” Walsh said Sunday. “I think just roll on to the next spot is the thing to do. He’s done well here. He’s 2 for 2 at Fair Grounds, so why change it now?”

Honorable Duty, a 5-year-old by Distorted Humor, ran good races last June and July but tailed off later last year. He was gelded last fall, and Walsh said that has totally turned the horse around.

Redesdale won his debut last May at Churchill, had to get over a physical issue, and returned to action at this Fair Grounds meet in excellent form. He won a first-level allowance race by three-quarters of a length Jan. 20 and won by four lengths last week, getting a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure. Walsh said he probably will point Redesdale for the Commonwealth Stakes in April at Keeneland.

He said the good older dirt-route horse Scuba, who recently joined Walsh’s string at the Palm Meadows training center in Florida, will be pointed for the Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland.