Fair Grounds Recap – Nov 7th
No bias surprises on day two. Early-pressing speed strong in sprints. Turf course favored stalkers and closers.
Day two belonged to Shane Sellers and Steve Asmussen. They teamed up for a hat trick and won the Pontalba with Right To Rule.
The other juvenile stakes race on the card was the Old Hickory, and Comedero lead the field on a merry chase after the defection of Western Smoke.

Got three tops home on Saturday. Had a bit of a frustrating day as I finished 2-3 in a pair of my turf best bets.
Fair Grounds …read more

Fair Grounds Recap – Nov 6th
No bias surprises on opening day. Speed strong in sprints. Turf course favored patient runners.
James Graham, John Jacinto, and ‘Cisco Torres each booted home a pair.
Much Obliged was made the overwhelming fav in the Blushing K D Stakes, and she lived up to advanced billing with a solid off the pace tally under fine grass rider Francisco Torres. The Malcolm Pierce trainee definitely held a class advantage. Never Retreat was a stubborn 2nd, and the ultra-consistent Category Seven held the show.
A solid start on the analysis front. Got a pair of …read more

No less than twelve horses have been pre-entered by Todd Pletcher for the upcoming 2-day Breeders’ Cup on Nov 6-7 at Santa Anita Park.
Included in the dozen is Quality Road, who traveled 5f in 1:00.52 at Belmont Park in preparation for the $5 million Classic. The flashy 3yo obviously has talent, but ten furlongs is pushing the envelope, and how will be handle the Pro-Ride surface?
Exciting Juvenile Turf prospect Interactif breezed 4f in :49.14 on Oct 26th. He looked good in winning the Bourbon at Keeneland on Oct 11th.
Pletcher sure is loaded with promising youngsters, and …read more

A field of seven or eight looks probable for the $750k Grade 2 Super Derby, to be run at Louisiana Downs on Saturday, September 19th. The post positions will be drawn tomorrow at the Super Derby press conference, and I will be on hand for the festivities.
Soul Warrior, who scratched out of the Penn Derby on Labor Day because of a temperature, has recovered and is the likely Super Derby favorite. The Steve Asmussen trainee was last seen downing Ky Derby winner Mine That Bird in the West Virginia Derby. John Velazquez has the …read more

It is looking increasingly unlikely that we will get Mine That Bird and Summer Bird for the 30th Super Derby (G2), to be run at Louisiana Downs on Saturday, September 19th.
The former was forced to miss the Travers following minor throat surgery, and the latter will probably shoot for the Jockey Club Gold Cup after a sharp win in the Travers (G1).
We have about seven or eight seriously looking at our event, and that list begins with the Super Derby Prelude top three Uno Mas, Electric Alphabet, and Red Lead.
Uno Mas, trained by Steve Asmussen, rallied from off …read more

August 20th Louisiana Downs Recap
Both surfaces seemed to play fair.
Curt Bourque booted home a pair, and Michelle Lovell saddled two turf winners on the card. She has had an awesome meet! Tony Richey and Al Stall Jr. saddled two winners on the card as well.
I was red hot with six tops getting the job done including bet down longshot play of the day Count On Lynn ($5.40) and best bet Rather Exciting ($6.20).
Apprentice jockey Anna Roberts hit the ground when her mount in the 3rd took a tumble after the race. She was taken off in a stretcher but was …read more

Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird had a slow five furlong drill at the Spa on August 17th, and a subsequent exam revealed an entrapped epiglottis. Minor surgery on Tuesday corrected the breathing issue, and he remains possible for the Travers (Aug 29th). He will head back to Saratoga later in the day on the 18th, and when he returns to normal training patterns remains to be seen.
It was a setback for the connections of the Derby winner, and his Travers status is day-to-day. The Chip Woolley trainee will not contest the mid-summer Derby unless 100%, and other options include the Pennsylvania …read more

Look out Rachel. Quality Road is heading to the Travers, and the talented early/pressing male is seemingly healthy again following quarter crack problems that forced him to miss the Triple Crown series.
He returned to dust his Amsterdam (G3) foes in track record time earlier this month, and his most recent Travers work was a sharp six furlongs in 1:13 at the Spa on August 16th. He will work again next Sunday, and the ten furlong Travers Stakes will be run at Saratoga on August 29th.
In other Travers news, Rachel Alexandra and stablemate Kensei will work at Saratoga on August 17th, and …read more

August 8th Recap
Missed my Saturday recap from Louisiana Downs, so here it goes.
A pair of wire jobs on the main as early-pressing speed held the edge. Early/pressing types dominated on the turf. Both 7.5f grass races were nabbed in wire-to-wire fashion.
Hat trick for Ramsey Zimmerman included a pair with trainer Dallas Keen. Jose Riquelme booted home a pair.
Howdy Ho seemed like a vulnerable fav in the 4th. Granted, he had won two straight impressively, but he did not step up in class for his 2nd win, and he was trying tougher for his new trainer …read more

August 7th Louisiana Downs Recap
Off the pace types fared well on the main. Turf course played fair.
Hat trick for Jeff Burningham .
Strong debut win by Highest Power ($4.00) in the 3rd. Debut juvenile filly took all of the early action and ran to her looks in the paddock. State bred miss is one to keep an eye on for Bret Calhoun.
My streak of at least one top getting the job done for five straight weeks (20 race days) ended on Friday. Had five 2nd and 3rd choices score and a pair of tops land the place. My longshot play of the …read more