Factor This Looking to Rebound in Fair Grounds Stakes

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Factor This Looking to Rebound in Fair Grounds Stakes
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Factor This coasts to victory in the Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico Race Course

Trainer Brad Cox is hoping a return to Cajun Country will inspire a return to form for Factor This, who figures to start as a solid favorite when he looks to defend his title in the Feb. 13 $150,000 Fair Grounds Stakes (G3T) at 1 1/8 miles over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Gaining Ground Racing's Factor This started his rise to national prominence in last year's Fair Grounds Stakes for Cox, as he set the pace and dashed to a track record-breaking score. The son of The Factor  then romped to an impressive victory in in the meet's turf highlight, the Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T), lowering his own track record and defeating 2020 champion turf male Channel Maker in the process.

Factor This backed up his sharp Fair Grounds form with front-running triumphs in the Wise Dan Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup Stakes at Ellis Park. After narrowly losing to Digital Age (IRE) in the Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) on Derby Day, the bay returned to the winner's circle in the Dinner Party Stakes (G2T) at Pimlico Race Course over a yielding turf course. He completed his 5-year-old season with two unplaced efforts in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) and Gulfstream Park's Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G2T).

Cox is looking forward to getting back to home base and trying to get another streak started again with Factor This, who is 12-for-34 lifetime with earnings of $1,264,780.

"He loves the turf course, and hopefully, he can get a good trip up front," Cox said. "We took a shot and it didn't work out in the Ft. Lauderdale after he did a bit too much too early. We decided to back off him a little bit, and hopefully, he can get back into the form he was in last winter when he got really good."

Factor This, the highweight in the field of 11 carrying 124, will break from post 8 with Shaun Bridgmohan in the irons.

Trainer Graham Motion ships in Danceteria from his Palm Meadows base in Florida, and he has the look of a live runner off a fast-closing second in a Jan. 13 allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park in his first start for the barn. The 6-year-old son of Redoute's Choice was fourth behind the immortal Enable in the Coral-Eclipse (G1) in July 2019 and won a group 1 in Germany later that month, but has struggled since, losing seven straight.

Motion is expecting a good run off what was a very useful tightener.

"I thought he ran really well last time out, and I wanted to get him started," Motion said. "He's a very classy horse. It's a step up from last time, but I do think the race will help. When he's good he's not far off the top horses, so hopefully, we can see that form again."

The bay will break from post 4 with John Velazquez aboard.

JPS Racing's Logical Myth enters the Fair Grounds off three straight wins and has been 4-for-5 since being gelded in August 2020. Trained by Joe Sharp, who also has the graded stakes-placed Blackberry Wine and stakes-placed Midnight Tea Time in the race, Logical Myth annexed the Dec. 19 Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes and Jan. 16 Colonel E. R. Bradley Stakes over this turf course.

The Data Link 5-year-old will leave the gate from post 6 with rider Adam Beschizza.


Entries: Fair Grounds S. (G3T)

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, February 13, 2021, Race 11

  • Grade IIIT
  • 1 1/8m
  • Turf
  • $150,000
  • 4 yo's & up
  • 5:16 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Blackberry Wine (KY) Gabriel Saez 118 Joe Sharp 10/1
2 2Set Piece (GB) Florent Geroux 118 Brad H. Cox 10/1
3 3Artie's Rumor (IA) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Michael J. Maker 10/1
4 4Danceteria (FR) John R. Velazquez 118 H. Graham Motion 6/1
5 5Midnight Tea Time (KY) Joseph Talamo 118 Joe Sharp 12/1
6 6Logical Myth (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Adam Beschizza 122 Joe Sharp 9/2
7 7Dontblamerocket (KY) Miguel Mena 118 Norm W. Casse 6/1
8 8Factor This (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Shaun Bridgmohan 124 Brad H. Cox 3/1
9 9Peace Achieved (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Declan Carroll 118 Mark E. Casse 20/1
10 10Captivating Moon (KY) Marcelino Pedroza 118 Chris M. Block 15/1
11 11Spectacular Gem (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate James Graham 118 James E. Baker 8/1