Wells Bayou Set for Return in Louisiana at Fair Grounds

Considering that in his only other race at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Wells Bayou registered a clear victory in the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2), choosing the New Orleans track for his racing return Jan. 16 off an extended layoff makes sense.

Campaigned by Clint and Lance Gasaway, Madaket Stables, and Wonder Stables, Wells Bayou will be making his first start since May 2 when he led a division of the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park early before fading to fifth in that 1 1/8-mile race won by Nadal.

In preparation for Wells Bayou's return to racing—and 4-year-old season debut—trainer Brad Cox told Fair Grounds media the son of Lookin At Lucky  has worked 10 times since late October. Most recently, those works included two breezes at Churchill Downs in December followed by three moves at Oaklawn in December and January. His half-mile move in :48 2/5 Dec. 27 at Oaklawn was 11th-fastest of 101 at the distance.

A debut winner in a maiden race at the 2019 fall meet at Keeneland, Wells Bayou opened 2020 with a four-length victory in an allowance level race Jan. 26 at Oaklawn. He then led early in the Southwest Stakes (G3) there Feb. 17 before fading to second, finishing one length behind Silver Prospector; who also is entered in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile race that has drawn nine older horses.

Wells Bayou followed that effort by completely controlling the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby, as he opened a 1 1/2-length lead early and enjoyed a clear advantage at every point of call on his way to a 1 1/2-length score under Florent Geroux. Geroux is scheduled to ride Saturday.

Video: Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2)

Silver Prospector also had an extended layoff after finishing seventh in the same Arkansas Derby division as Wells Bayou. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Ed and Susie Orr's Silver Prospector returned to racing Oct. 30 when he rallied to victory in an allowance-level race at Churchill. The son of Declaration of War followed with a sixth-place finish in the Clark Stakes presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) Nov. 27 at Churchill.

Since that effort, Silver Prospector—also winner of the 2019 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2)—has been breezing regularly at Fair Grounds in preparation of his 4-year-old debut. Asmussen has Sonneman entered in the Louisiana Stakes, too, for Courtlandt Farms. Sonneman enters off a runner-up finish to undefeated grade 1 winner Maxfield in the Tenacious Stakes Dec. 19 at Fair Grounds, the third time the 4-year-old son of Curlin  has finished second in a stakes.

The race also will mark a return to dirt racing for My Boy Jack, who finished fifth in the 2018 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). The son of Creative Cause  enters off five straight races on turf for trainer Keith Desormeaux.