Lone Sailor to Set Sail as 4-Year-Old in Mineshaft

After coming up just short in last year's TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2), Lone Sailor will return to Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots to launch his 4-year-old campaign in the $150,000 Mineshaft Handicap (G3) Feb. 16.

Grade 1-placed as a juvenile, GMB Racing's Lone Sailor would use last year's Louisiana Derby runner-up finish—where he finished a neck behind Noble Indy—as a springboard to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). He would finish in the top half of that field and followed that eighth-place run with a fifth in the Preakness Stakes (G1).

A son of Majestic Warrior, Lone Sailor would secure what had been an elusive graded stakes win last fall when he rallied from ninth to win the Oklahoma Derby (G3) by a nose at Remington Park. He then would finish sixth of 14 in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

Lone Sailor has worked three times for trainer Tom Amoss since Jan. 25, including a bullet move Feb. 9 at Fair Grounds when he completed five furlongs in :59 2/5—fastest of 61 moves at the distance. James Graham, who was aboard for the Oklahoma Derby win, will ride Saturday. Lone Sailor will carry 118 pounds from post 5.

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Lone Sailor will not be the only runner with experience in last year's classics in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile handicap for older horses as WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing's Quip will make his first start since faltering and finishing last in the Preakness.

Before that effort, Quip had posted a clear victory in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and followed with a second in the Arkansas Derby (G1). Since Dec. 15 the son of Distorted Humor  has breezed nine times for trainer Rodolphe Brisset at Payson Park training center. On Feb. 11 Quip earned the bullet with a half-mile move in :48 4/5, fastest of 28 at the distance.

Although he has yet to race at Fair Grounds, Quip trained at the New Orleans oval last winter (2017-2018).

"It seems that he likes the track," Brisset said. "He has never raced over it but he did train there all winter last year and doesn't mind the track at all. I think everything lines up very well. The main thing is to let the horse tell us what he wants to do. We'll bring him competitive."

Another classic starter making his 4-year-old debut is John Oxley's Flameaway, who finished off the board in last year's Kentucky Derby. The son of Scat Daddy finished second in three grade 2 races last year.

Grade 3 winner Harlan Punch, a 6-year-old son of Harlan's Holiday, is the 120-pound highweight off a victory in the Louisiana Stakes Jan. 19 at Fair Grounds.

Entries: Mineshaft H. (G3)

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, February 16, 2019, Race 9

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 4:25 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Imperative (KY)	Joe Bravo	117	Anthony T. Quartarolo	30/1
2	2Harlan Punch (KY)	Florent Geroux	120	Brad H. Cox	4/1
3	3Krewe Chief (KY)	Manuel Franco	114	Michael J. Maker	15/1
4	4Silver Dust (KY)	Jack Gilligan	119	W. Bret Calhoun	6/1
5	5Lone Sailor (KY)	James Graham	118	Thomas M. Amoss	7/2
6	6Third Day (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	115	Brian A. Lynch	20/1
7	7Mo Dont No (OH)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	112	Anthony T. Quartarolo	30/1
8	8Phat Man (KY)	Adam Beschizza	119	Joe Sharp	8/1
9	9Flameaway (ON)	Tyler Gaffalione	116	Mark E. Casse	5/1
10	10Long On Luck (KY)	Gabriel Saez	113	Angel O. Montano, Sr.	20/1
11	11Ballard High (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	113	Dallas Stewart	30/1
12	12Thirstforlife (KY)	Miguel Mena	115	Wesley E. Hawley	15/1
13	13Quip (KY)	Luis Saez	115	Rodolphe Brisset	6/1