Way-back rivals Shared Sense, Major Fed clash in Tenacious Stakes
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Shared Sense and Major Fed ran one-two in the 2020 Indiana Derby, and a year and a half later will be among the top betting choices in a highly competitive renewal of the $100,000 Tenacious Stakes.
The 1 1/16-mile Tenacious is the first stakes of the Fair Grounds season for 3-year-olds and up routing on dirt, a series that comes to a peak with the New Orleans Classic for older horses in March. Shared Sense and Major Fed are about to turn 5, and both will need improvement through the winter to merit consideration for a race like the New Orleans.
One of six stakes on the card, the Tenacious drew 10 entrants but no more than nine will start since Big Dreaming instead runs in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial on turf.
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Shared Sense, a Godolphin homebred by Street Sense, won the Oklahoma Derby two starts after his Indiana Derby score, with those wins accounting for a good chunk of his half-million-dollar bankroll. This year, Shared Sense has made only three starts, and while he was mere cannon fodder for stablemate Knicks Go in his most recent start, the Lukas Classic on Oct. 2, his third-place finish behind runner-up Independence Hall (winner of the Fayette at Keeneland in his next start) marked a high-water mark this year.
“He tries hard, and I thought he ran a big race last time,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He’s never raced at Fair Grounds before, and I really like the way he’s moving and training over the track.”
Major Fed, trained by Greg Foley, has accomplished less than Shared Sense since they met at Indiana Grand, but likely has more upside Sunday. After a pair of allowance-race wins to start his 4-year-old campaign, Major Fed caught sloppy tracks he might not have loved in his last two races.
There are plenty of other places to turn in the Tenacious. Chess Chief, 10-1 on the morning line, worked a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.60 on Dec. 17. Chess Chief has been uncompetitive in his last four tries, but that work might be a sign his form is due for another New Orleans uptick. Chess Chief came to life upon his arrival at Fair Grounds last season, posting an upset this past March in the New Orleans Classic.
Three-year-old Happy American comes into the Tenacious in career-best form, earning a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, a graded stakes-class number, winning a 10-furlong Churchill allowance race last out. Taishan and Huge Bigly came out of that race to win at the allowance level, while third-place Last Samurai returned to capture the Poinsettia Stakes at Oaklawn.
Buddy Diliberto Memorial
The $75,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial for 3-year-olds and up over 1 1/16 miles on turf drew a dozen entrants but will go with no more than 10 runners, with Hierarchy and key contender Spooky Channel to be scratched, according to their trainers.
Spooky Channel, who won the Elkhorn at Keeneland in his last start, came out of a recent Fair Grounds work with an injury that will keep him out of action for several months, trainer Jason Barkley reported.
Joe Sharp said he’s scratching Hierarchy but plans to run Midnight Tea Time back on eight days’ rest as well as Logical Myth, who was sixth Nov. 27 in the Bob Wright Memorial at Fair Grounds. Logical Myth won this race a year ago.
“He might have been a touch short last time,” Sharp said of Logical Myth. “He was stuck between horses and never got to shut off and take a deep breath. He’s had two really good works since. I’m confident he’ll run better.”
The top three home in the Wright – Another Mystery, Pixelate, and Monarchs Glen – return for the Diliberto.
Jareth Loveberry rode a sweet race last month on 11-1 shot Another Mystery, getting onto the tail of race favorite Pixelate around the far turn and following him to midstretch, where Another Mystery quickened and passed. Pixelate, however, has the stronger long-term résumé, and he can win with a better-timed ride Sunday. Pixelate can be tricky, waiting on rivals if he makes the lead too early, and the way to win on the horse is to make the last move.
The temporary turf rail will be taken down for Sunday’s races, and during the last two Fair Grounds seasons speed has prospered when that’s been the case. That could aid Big Dreaming, whose connections opt for this race over the Tenacious on dirt. Big Dreaming, a 4-year-old out of champion Dreaming of Anna, is a progressive colt coming off a big Tapeta win at Turfway.
“I guess he’s learning and getting better,” trainer Wayne Catalano said. “His races show it, his numbers show it. He’s ready to rumble.”
Richard Scherer Memorial
Just Might just hit a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure winning the Thanksgiving Classic over the Fair Grounds dirt track. Do not expect him to perform appreciably worse switching to turf in the $75,000 Richard Scherer Memorial Stakes on Sunday.
Just Might is 2-4-1 from eight Fair Grounds grass races, with his peak Beyer a 98. Earlier this year he captured six-figure turf stakes at Colonial Downs and Churchill Downs, and he’ll be favored to win his seventh race of 2021 in the 5 1/2-furlong Scherer.
Trained by Michelle Lovell, who co-owns the gelding, Just Might grabbed a quarter at the top of the Keeneland homestretch two starts ago in the Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland, accounting for his sixth-place performance there. He caught wet turf in two Kentucky races this past spring and otherwise has been in roaring form all season.
Manny Wah beat Just Might this past January in the Duncan Kenner over the Fair Grounds course, and while he hasn’t run since February, he’s a win consideration if Grinning Tiger, Firecrow, and Field Day push Just Might hard on the lead.
Blushing K. D. Stakes
Summer in Saratoga had to be scratched from an intended Aqueduct turf stakes when she acted up in the paddock, but she’s to start as the favorite in the $75,000 Blushing K. D. for fillies and mares on the turf. Summer in Saratoga won the Dowager at Keeneland over 1 1/2 miles last out and cuts back to 1 1/16 miles for Sunday’s start.
Summer at Saratoga’s trainer, Joe Sharp, also has entered Catch a Bid and Apple Dapple, but said Apple Dapple will be scratched.
Bellagamba, third last out in the Joseph Peluso Memorial at Fair Grounds, is capable of posting a minor upset.
“She didn’t have the best trip last time and she’s training just as good as she was,” trainer Ignacio Correas said.