Finite Resumes Work Toward Fair Grounds Oaks

Finite headed up a busy work tab for Steve Asmussen trainees at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 24, turning in her first breeze since winning the Feb. 15 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2).  

The 3-year-old Munnings  filly remains on course for the March 21 TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) after a half-mile move in :51 2/5 on a fast main track. She has won five consecutive races, the last four being stakes, for owners Winchell Thoroughbreds, Thomas Reiman, William Dickson, and Debbie Easter. 

"She looked great, I got a little video of her going down the path to the wire, and it looked like she was moving great," said Winchell's racing and farm manager David Fiske.

Finite came from off the pace in the Rachel Alexandra and crossed the wire 4 3/4 lengths ahead of British Idiom, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2019. 

"We think she's pretty good," Fiske said. "She keeps reinforcing that opinion."

Finite is a Winchell homebred out of a full sister to millionaire and sire Tapiture , and is a half sister to group 2-placed stakes winner Reride.

Winchell and Willis Horton Racing's Silver State also returned to the work tab Monday after finishing third behind Mr. Monomoy and Enforceable as the 3-1 favorite in a division of the Feb. 15 Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2).

The 3-year-old Hard Spun  colt, also second in the Jan. 18 Lecomte Stakes (G3) to Enforceable, traveled a half-mile in :49 1/5. Fiske said the next stop for Silver State is the March 21 TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2).

"He's a big, beautiful horse. He's the pick of the paddock no matter where he goes," Fiske said." If this racing thing doesn't work out for him he would make a great dressage horse, but fortunately the racing thing is working out for him up to this point. He's just a big horse. It's taken him a few races to get completely fit and hopefully he has gotten to that point now. We're just going forward with him."

Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Silver State descends from the family of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Monarchos. Winchell purchased the colt for $450,000 from Eaton Sales' consignment to the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Pneumatic, a Winchell homebred, was another to return to work at Fair Grounds. The 3-year-old Uncle Mo  colt won on debut Feb. 15 at Oaklawn Park, where he rallied from fifth to win by a neck and complete six furlongs in 1:09.83 on a fast track.

Pneumatic breezed four furlongs in :52 3/5 Monday. Connections have not decided on a next out race yet, and while Fiske said the colt would probably not point for the Kentucky Derby, he could possibly be seen later on the Triple Crown trail.

"He's a little behind the calendar for (the Derby trail), but the way he ran the other day I wouldn't count him out for maybe some of the other races," Fiske said. "I don't think six furlongs is his best distance. We could see him (on the Triple Crown trail). He's got a lot to prove yet. It may be a little premature, but the way he ran the other day certainly makes you dream."

Winchell and Willis Horton's Ontario-bred Halo Again continued his consistent works at Fair Grounds. Monday the 3-year-old Speightstown  colt drilled five furlongs in 1:01, the second-fastest time of 18 works at the distance.

Winner of the Nov. 23 Coronation Futurity on Woodbine's Tapeta surface, Halo Again finished eighth last out in the Lecomte.

"There is a possibility Halo Again could turn up in the Jeff Ruby. We've kind of got that set off to the side," Fiske said. "We'll see about that, see how he's doing. He's got the win over the synthetic up at Woodbine last winter, so he apparently can run over fake dirt."

The March 14 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, is run on Turfway Park's synthetic track.

From the Tom Amoss barn, Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin's No Parole breezed a half-mile in :49 2/5. It was the 3-year-old Violence  colt's second work since winning the Feb. 8 LA Bred Premier Night Prince Stakes at Delta Downs by 6 1/2 lengths.

"He had a pretty eye-catching work this morning," Moss said, adding that the undefeated Louisiana-bred will make his next start against open company for the first time in the March 14 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park.