NEW ORLEANS – Mardi Gras may have ended Tuesday, but in this city, the rallying cry is always “laissez les bons temps rouler.” At Fair Grounds on Saturday, the good times roll with a stakes-packed Louisiana Derby preview card, highlighted by a Grade 2, $300,000 Risen Star Stakes in which the locals will try to defend their honor against a visitor.
Already a two-time stakes winner at Turfway Park this winter, Lotta Lovin will stretch out to two turns when she tries to extend her winning streak Saturday as a solid favorite in the $50,000 Valdale Stakes at the northern Kentucky track.
Owned by New York businessman Buck Butler and part of the local string trained by Mike Maker, Lotta Lovin comes off back-to-back victories in the Gowell and Cincinnati Trophy, both of which were run around one turn. The Valdale is a two-turn mile race over Polytrack.
Puddy Tap has done little wrong in four career starts. She’s won at one turn and two, has never been worse than second, and has put up a string of consistent Beyer Speed Figures. She gets a shot at stakes competition Saturday night in the $50,000 Sam Houston Distaff at Sam Houston Race Park.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Anthony Dutrow mapped out a plan for Grace Hall from the moment she won her career debut last summer at Delaware Park, a plan that called for a 3-year-old campaign that would begin Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the Grade 2, $250,000 Davona Dale.
NEW ORLEANS – Before he got here last fall, Mr. Vegas had won just 4 times in 18 starts, and was pretty much stuck at the second allowance level when facing open company. His early speed figured to be compromised over a Fair Grounds grass course that traditionally devours front-runners.
“I thought he’d be in trouble at this track,” said his trainer, Richie Scherer. “I thought I’d run him once and turn him out. He’s won three in a row. What do I know?”
NEW ORLEANS – When Applauding was scratched from last month’s Silverbulletday Stakes, it left Believe You Can as the lone front-runner, and she seized the opportunity. Here it is five weeks later, and again, for the Grade 3, $200,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds, Applauding will be scratched, removing one potential speed horse from the lineup.
Among the 10 3-year-olds entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Park, The Lumber Guy and Brimstone Island own by far the two best last-race Beyer Speed Figures. Neither horse, however, may be quite as good as he appears on paper.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn Park announced on Thursday that overnight purses will be increased approximately $100,000 a week for the remaining eight weeks of the season that runs through April 14. The boost was to begin with Thursday’s program.
With the increase, Oaklawn’s purse distribution is projected to be nearly $18 million this meet, an average of more than $320,000 a card. The increase is the second of the season at Oaklawn.
ARCADIA, Calif. – A month later than intended, Amazombie, the 2011 champion sprinter, makes his first start of 2012 in the $200,000 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.
The Grade 2 San Carlos is a race that co-owner and trainer Bill Spawr approaches with some measure of trepidation. Run over seven furlongs, the San Carlos drew only six runners and may have a standout pacesetter in The Factor, the winner of the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes here on Dec. 26 for the red-hot trainer Bob Baffert.
