Lone Sailor's Connections Hope for Super Breakthrough

While his four graded stakes placings, including a pair of top-three finishes in grade 1 races, have shown Lone Sailor's ability to compete at the top level, his connections would love to see the Majestic Warrior colt break through for his first graded stakes win.

G M B Racing's Lone Sailor will get another crack at that elusive milestone Sept. 2 when he starts in the $300,000 Super Derby (G3) at Harrah's Louisiana Downs. Last year the race was contested on the turf, but it moves back to the main track for 2018. 

Lone Sailor enters Sunday's 1 1/16-mile race off a third-place finish in the July 29 Betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park. That start followed a runner-up Ohio Derby (G3) run where he just missed securing his first stakes win when he finished a nose behind Core Beliefs.

Trainer Tom Amoss said the Super Derby is a good fit for late-running Lone Sailor. 

"We feel this is a real opportunity for Lone Sailor to take a step forward," Amoss said. "He's been working well in the mornings and the Super Derby is an important race. Once we began considering sending him to Louisiana Downs, it was an easy sell."

Amoss, who ran Mo Tom to a fifth-place finish in the 2016 Super Derby, will be looking for his first win in the race with Lone Sailor, who in the spring finished second in the TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) before an eighth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

"I want to catch up with Al (Stall), the 'Cajun Bob Baffert,'" quipped Amoss, referencing Stall's three previous Super Derby wins. "But, seriously, running in this race is important to me and my wife. Both our children were born in Shreveport, and we are looking forward to being there Sunday."

Stall will look to add to his Super Derby success with Autumn Warrior, who earned his berth into the Super Derby as winner of the $60,000 Super Derby Prelude Aug. 4. Bred and owned by Robert Guidry's Autumn Hill Farms Racing Stable, the Louisiana-bred son of Orb  is unbeaten in three starts. Overcoming a troubled trip in the Prelude, he advanced from seventh to win that 1 1/16-mile race in a thrilling photo finish under rider Colby Hernandez. The dark bay colt will break from the rail under Hernandez.

Stall won the Super Derby in 2008 with My Pal Charlie and again two years later with Apart. Departing was the third winner for the New Orleans native in 2013.  

Lone Sailor and Autumn Warrior are among nine 3-year-olds entered in the Super Derby as it returns to the main track.

  

"The Super Derby will always be the most significant race run at Louisiana Downs," said David Heitzmann, director of racing for Louisiana Downs. "Its return to the main track and grade 3 status attracted an impressive field for Super Derby 39. With excellent fields in each of our seven stakes, we look forward to presenting an outstanding card for our local fans and horse players across the country on Sunday."

Entries: Super Derby (G3)

Harrah's Louisiana Downs Casino and Racetrack, Sunday, September 02, 2018, Race 11

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 3 yo
• 5:05 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Autumn Warrior (LA)	Colby J. Hernandez	124	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	6/1
2	2Charlie's Schiller (LA)	Aubrie Green	124	Tommy Ives	20/1
3	3Lone Sailor (KY)	James Graham	124	Thomas M. Amoss	7/5
4	4McFeely (KY)	Ashley Broussard	124	John Ney	20/1
5	5Bode's Maker (KY)	Joel Dominguez	124	Allen Milligan	30/1
6	6G's Turn (KY)	Thomas L. Pompell	124	Patricia G. West	20/1
7	7Limation (KY)	Diego Saenz	124	Steven M. Asmussen	12/1
8	8High North (KY)	Florent Geroux	124	Brad H. Cox	5/2
9	9Lionite (KY)	David Cabrera	124	Steven M. Asmussen	9/2