Sugar Bowl Tops Action-Packed Saturday at Fair Grounds
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Photo: Coady Photography
Amongst (outside) and Ryan's Cat finish heads apart in an Oct. 19 allowance at Indiana Grand
Leading up to the college football clash between No. 5 Georgia and No. 7 Baylor in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day in New Orleans, its namesake horse race, the $75,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes for 2-year-olds, tops six stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Dec. 21.
Though there are deeper contests on the 14-race card at Fair Grounds on Saturday, the Sugar Bowl intrigues as being able to produce starters along the Kentucky Derby trail. The race kicks off the local stakes that lead up to the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) March 21, a leading prep for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs.
Only six juveniles are in the six-furlong Sugar Bowl, though four showed enough promise to win at Churchill during its fall meet. Self Taught and Axiomo won first-level allowances, but it is the other pair, maiden winners Gold Street and Shashashakemeup, who are morning-line favorites at 2-1 and 5-2 odds, respectively.
Gold Street was a seven-length maiden winner Nov. 23 for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, and Shashashakemeup won by 5 1/2 lengths in his lone race at Churchill Nov. 17 for trainer Keith Desormeaux.
Desormeaux, back with a string of horses at Fair Grounds after spending the past four winters based mostly in California, won the 2016 Preakness Stakes (G1) with Exaggerator .
Gold Street and Shashashakemeup are two of three frontrunners, along with Ryan's Cat, in a sprint in which all the speed is drawn inside.
If a contested pace develops, that would play to the rallying style of Amongst, who twice closed to win races at Indiana Grand, once by disqualification over Ryan's Cat. Self Taught and Axiomo are others who usually race from behind.
Amongst, a Godolphin homebred by Into Mischief , is one of 14 entries Saturday at Fair Grounds from trainer Brad Cox.
"I think he'll like that long stretch down there," he said.
The trainer's chances appear stronger in the sister race to the Sugar Bowl, the $75,000 Letellier Memorial Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, also at six furlongs. There, he starts another juvenile by Into Mischief, 2-1 favorite Taraz, a filly who won her only start at Churchill Downs Nov. 14 when she zipped 6 1/2 furlongs under Florent Geroux in 1:16.27.
"She does have speed, and we're hoping she can (eventually) get it around two turns," Cox said of the Juddmonte homebred. "We think she can, being out of an Empire Maker mare. Her size and her stride certainly makes you think she can. This is just something to put a good foundation in her and move toward some bigger and better things in 2020, hopefully around two turns."
Five fillies are entered against her, though two—Halama and Ursula—were also entered in Saturday's first race, an allowance at a mile and 70 yards, and could alternatively race there. Ursula is the second favorite in the Letellier Memorial at 3-1.
Cox's 2-year-old talent extends into the allowance ranks in the 13th race, a $46,000 allowance at a mile and 70 yards in which he entered Mr. Monomoy—a half brother to Monomoy Girl, the champion 3-year-old filly for Cox in 2018.
Mr. Monomoy schools in the paddock at Keeneland
A maiden special weight winner at Churchill Downs, as were four others in the nine-horse race, Mr. Monomoy easily handled 10 rivals at second asking Nov. 16 after being hampered at the break in his only other start when fourth Oct. 19 at Keeneland.
Mr. Monomoy, by Palace Malice and out of the Henny Hughes mare Drumette, is owned by Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Doheny Racing Stable. Madaket and Dubb are also principals in Monomoy Girl, ownership that includes The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables.
"I'm hoping he will stretch (out)," Cox said. "His half sister obviously did, and he is by a stallion that won the Belmont (G1). We definitely think he can get the two turns, and we thought this would be a great opportunity timing-wise. And the distance, a mile and 70 yards, makes sense as we gradually start the process of longer, tougher races."
Four other stakes—all with purses of $75,000—comprise the richest action Saturday at Fair Grounds: the Bonapaw Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on grass; the Blushing K. D. Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf; the Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes under the same conditions for males; and the Tenacious Stakes at a mile and 70 yards on dirt for males.
The latter race drew one of Saturday's most established fields, attracting graded stakes winners Lone Sailor, Blended Citizen, and Tenfold.
As of late afternoon Dec. 18, the National Weather Service called for a 70% chance of rain Saturday in New Orleans with the possibility for heavy showers.
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, December 21, 2019, Race 3 Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, December 21, 2019, Race 7 Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, December 21, 2019, Race 9 Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, December 21, 2019, Race 10 Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, December 21, 2019, Race 11 Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, December 21, 2019, Race 12Entries: Letellier Memorial S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Street Flyer (KY)
David Cohen
116
James K. Chapman
10/1
2
2Taraz (KY)
Florent Geroux
116
Brad H. Cox
2/1
3
3Gee She Sparkles (TX)
Danny Sorenson
122
Danny Pish
9/2
4
4Sweet Kisses (KY)
Shaun Bridgmohan
116
Jeremiah C. Englehart
7/2
5
5Halama (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
116
Brendan P. Walsh
5/1
6
6Ursula (KY)
Mitchell Murrill
116
Michael Stidham
3/1
Entries: Bonapaw S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Fast Boat (KY)
Adam Beschizza
120
Joe Sharp
7/2
2
2Powell (KY)
Colby J. Hernandez
116
Michael Stidham
8/1
3
3Made You Look (KY)
Florent Geroux
118
Philip A. Bauer
3/1
4
4Pete's Play Call (MD)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
118
Michael J. Maker
8/1
5
5Star of Kodiak (KY)
Mitchell Murrill
116
Christopher Davis
8/1
6
6Recount (IL)
David Cohen
118
Karl Broberg
8/1
7
7Jazzy Times (KY)
Miguel Mena
118
Wesley E. Hawley
5/1
8
8Gray Attempt (KY)
Shaun Bridgmohan
116
William H. Fires
8/1
9
9Wilbo (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
118
Chris A. Hartman
9/2
Entries: Blushing K. D. S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Corluna (TX)
Edgar Morales
118
Sarah Delany
30/1
2
2Smart Emma (KY)
James Graham
118
Steve Margolis
5/1
3
3Avie's Mineshaft (ON)
Adam Beschizza
118
Josie Carroll
12/1
4
4La Signare (FR)
Florent Geroux
118
Brendan P. Walsh
4/1
5
5Notapradaprice (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
122
Eddie Kenneally
12/1
6
6English Soul (NY)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
118
Jack Sisterson
6/1
7
7Flower Party (IRE)
Shaun Bridgmohan
118
Michael Stidham
12/1
8
8Dream Passage (NY)
Colby J. Hernandez
120
Brad H. Cox
3/1
9
9Orageuse (KY)
Mitchell Murrill
118
Brendan P. Walsh
12/1
10
10Stave (KY)
Gabriel Saez
118
J. Larry Jones
8/1
11
11Oh My (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
118
Steven M. Asmussen
10/1
Entries: Sugar Bowl S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Shashashakemeup (KY)
James Graham
116
J. Keith Desormeaux
5/2
2
2Gold Street (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
116
Steven M. Asmussen
2/1
3
3Ryan's Cat (KY)
David Cohen
116
James K. Chapman
5/1
4
4Amongst (KY)
Florent Geroux
116
Brad H. Cox
9/2
5
5Self Taught (KY)
Miguel Mena
120
Albert M. Stall, Jr.
6/1
6
6Axiomo (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
120
Michael J. Maker
5/1
Entries: Buddy Diliberto Memorial S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Late Nite Mischief (KY)
Colby J. Hernandez
118
Arthur L. Pike, III
20/1
2
2Renaisance Frolic (KY)
James Graham
122
David Fawkes
5/1
3
3Space Mountain (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
122
Michael J. Maker
8/1
4
4Red Right Hand (KY)
Miguel Mena
120
Thomas Morley
10/1
5
5Parlor (KY)
Adam Beschizza
118
Michael J. Maker
10/1
6
6Sailing Solo (KY)
Mitchell Murrill
118
Louie J. Roussel, III
10/1
7
7Captivating Moon (KY)
Jose E. Lopez
118
Chris M. Block
10/1
8
8Say the Word (ON)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
118
Neil J. Howard
20/1
9
9Secretary At War (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
118
Brad H. Cox
10/1
10
10Great Wide Open (IRE)
Channing Hill
118
Conor Murphy
20/1
11
11Honovi (KY)
Marcelino Pedroza
118
Brendan P. Walsh
20/1
12
12Factor This (KY)
Florent Geroux
118
Brad H. Cox
9/2
13
13Dot Matrix (NY)
Shaun Bridgmohan
122
Brad H. Cox
7/2
Entries: Tenacious S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Lone Sailor (KY)
James Graham
118
Thomas M. Amoss
6/1
2
2Blended Citizen (KY)
Florent Geroux
118
Brad H. Cox
5/1
3
3Extirpator (KY)
Jose Andres Guerrero
118
Patti Turner
30/1
4
4Pioneer Spirit (KY)
David Cohen
122
Robertino Diodoro
3/1
5
5Tenfold (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
118
Steven M. Asmussen
8/1
6
6C Z Rocket (FL)
Calvin H. Borel
118
Albert M. Stall, Jr.
7/2
7
7Tringale (KY)
Mitchell Murrill
118
Christopher Davis
12/1
8
8Ballard High (KY)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
118
Dallas Stewart
10/1
9
9M G Warrior (KY)
Shaun Bridgmohan
118
Brad H. Cox
10/1
10
10Captivating Moon (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
122
Chris M. Block
8/1
