fair grounds | Horse Racing Free Tips

Expensive and Well-Bred Sophomores Debut in NOLA

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BELGRADE MAKES FIRST START FOR NEW CONNECTIONS
1st-TAM, $35K, Opt. Clm. ($75K), 3yo, 7f, 12:13 p.m.
Carl and Yurie Pascarella went to $700,000 for KEEJAN sale topper BELGRADE (Hard Spun) with GI Kentucky Derby dreams and he makes his first start for his new owners and new trainer Graham Motion here. A $45,000 FTKSEL purchase by Randy Bradshaw, the chestnut romped by six lengths in his career bow at Fair Grounds Dec. 18 for trainer Brendan Walsh. His dam is a half to GSW & MGISP Medal Count (Dynaformer) and GSW Garden District (Dixie Union). TJCIS PPs

PRICEY FILLIES DEBUT IN NOLA
2nd-FG, $55K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:30 p.m.
Steve Asmussen unveils a $1.2-million (KEESEP) half-sister to his Grade I winner Yaupon (Uncle Mo) in Mike Rutherford's ROYAL FLOWER (American Pharoah). Out of GISP Modification (Vindication), the chestnut's talented half-brother Yaupon captured the GI Forego S. after a savaging by Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) and took the GII Amsterdam S. He has been retired to the Spendthrift stallion barn. Royal Flower is also a half to MGSP Sawyer's Hill (Spring At Last). Larry Best's OXO Equine acquired the well-related Indigo Miss (Into Mischief) for $525,000 at KEESEP and she also makes her career bow here. Best purchased her blue hen dam Indian Miss (Indian Charlie) for $1.9 million in foal to Into Mischief two months later at Keeneland November. A half-sister to GSW Live Lively (Medaglia d'Oro), Indian Miss is also the dam of champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya) and Grade I winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow). TJCIS PPs

ASMUSSEN UNVEILS STONESTREET BLUE-BLOOD
4th-FG, $55K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 2:29 p.m.
Stonestreet Stables homebred MARSALIS (Curlin) makes his career bow in this spot for trainer Steve Asmussen. Out of Grade I winner Hot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union), the chestnut is a full-brother to MSW & GSP young stallion Union Jackson and a half to MGSW Pauline's Pearl (Tapit). His second dam is GSW & GISP Above Perfection (In Excess {Ire}), who produced MGISW Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) and GSW Positive Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile). Todd Pletcher unveils an intriguing firster in Momentous (Speightstown). His second dam is SW Dance Quietly (A.P. Indy), who is a half to Horse of the Year Saint Liam (Saint Ballado), GISW Funtastic (More Than Ready) and GSW Quiet Giant (Giant's Causeway), the dam of Horse of the Year and top freshman sire Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}). TJCIS PPs

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Deep Bunch Set for Mineshaft

Even with local heavyweights Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) awaiting the $20-million Saudi Cup, there will still be plenty of talent on display in a loaded renewal of Saturday's GIII Mineshaft S. at Fair Grounds.

Miles D (Curlin), third at 18-1 in the GI Runhappy Travers S. last summer, closed out his sophomore campaign with a pair of wins, led by a promising decision in Aqueduct's 1 1/8-mile Discovery S. last time Nov. 27. The runner-up that day Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) resurfaced with a razor sharp win in the GIII Fred W. Hooper S. Jan. 29. Miles D completed his preparations for the Mineshaft with a four-furlong move in :48 3/5 (2/41) at Payson Park Feb. 12.

“This horse has done well,” trainer Chad Brown said. “He ran late in the year over at Aqueduct and put up a very nice win against a very talented horse [Speaker's Corner]. He's wintered well and now it's time to get his 4-year old season started. The race came up deeper than I thought it would. He's going to really have to fire off the layoff to beat these horses.”

Olympiad (Speightstown) looks primed for a career best following an eye-catching 7 1/4-length optional claiming victory for Hall of Famer Bill Mott in his two-turn debut at Gulfstream Jan. 15. The 3-1 Mineshaft morning-line favorite was previously a troubled fourth while making his stakes debut in a salty GI Cigar Mile H. Dec. 4.

Sidelined following a well-beaten eighth in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. Apr. 3, Untreated (Nyquist) has been perfect since returning to action, pairing up strong wins going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Nov. 19 and Dec. 31, respectively.

Last term's GI Kentucky Derby fifth-place finisher and GIII Matt Winn S. runner-up O Besos (Orb) brings a three-for-five record at Fair Grounds to the table, including a narrow win off the bench in an optional claimer Jan. 2.

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Fair Grounds: Mitchell Murrill Records 1,000th Career Win

Just a little more than eight years into a career that began at Delta Downs on Halloween in 2013, jockey Mitchell Murrill won his 1,000th career race on Sunday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La., guiding Selective Racing's Yin Yang (2-1 second choice) to victory for trainer Brad Cox in the day's sixth race, an “off the turf” optional claiming/first-level allowance sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

“I've got to thank Brad (trainer Cox),” Murrill said. “This is the first horse I've ridden for him in my career, so it's kind of nice to get into the winner's circle for him. He told me before the race that the horse (Yin Yang) was going to be keen and to try to get her to relax and keep her running forward. She did it today.”

Earlier on the card Murrill won the fourth race on Cypriano for trainer Chris Hartman, who just two days earlier reached a milestone of his own at Fair Grounds, winning his 1,500 career race. The duo has contributed greatly to each other's success, teaming up for 82 wins since first joining forces four years ago. Following a five for ten winning streak, Murrill had been in an 0 for 23 slump prior to his fourth race score.

“It's pretty awesome,” Murrill said of reaching the milestone. “All week it's been pretty tough to get into the winner's circle, but we got it done and I can't be more grateful for everyone who has contributed.”

The 27-year-old native of Mobile, Ala., scored his first career win aboard Golden Barbara on May 28, 2014. Perennially in the top five in the jockey standings at both Fair Grounds and Arlington Park, he had a breakthrough meet in November at Churchill Downs, finishing fifth with 15 wins. He earned a career-best $5,619,207 in purses in 2021 and counts the 2018 Fair Grounds Oaks (G3) aboard Chocolate Martini as his biggest win to date.

“Gerard Melancon helped me out from the very beginning when I started riding at Evangeline,” Murrill said. “It's hard grinding, working. My agent Tim (Hanisch) is out here every day working hard, trying to make connections with everybody and trying to keep everybody happy. We are just trying to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward.”

Murrill's parents and girlfriend had been in attendance earlier in the week, awaiting the milestone win that didn't come until Sunday.

“I told them if I didn't win, they had to go home,” Murrill joked. “I wish they could have been here to share this with me.”

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Murrill Scores Career Win 1,000

Mitchell Murrill earned the 1,000th victory of his riding career when he guided the Brad Cox-trained Yin Yang (Point of Entry) to win the sixth race at Fair Grounds Sunday.

“I've got to thank Brad,” Murrill said. “This is the first horse I've ridden for him in my career, so it's kind of nice to get into the winner's circle for him. He told me before the race that the horse was going to be keen and to try to get her to relax and keep her running forward. She did it today.”

Earlier on the card, Murrill won the fourth race on Cypriano (Custom for Carlos) for trainer Chris Hartman, who just two days earlier reached a milestone of his own at Fair Grounds, winning his 1,500th career race. The duo has contributed greatly to each other's success, teaming up for 82 wins since first joining forces four years ago.

Following a five for 10 winning streak, Murrill had been in an 0 for 23 slump prior to his fourth race score.

The 27-year-old native of Mobile, Alabama scored his first career win aboard Golden Barbara May 28, 2014. He earned a career-best $5,619,207 in purses in 2021 and counts the 2018 GIII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks aboard Chocolate Martini as his biggest win to date.

“Gerard Melancon helped me out from the very beginning when I started riding at Evangeline,” Murrill said. “It's hard grinding, working. My agent Tim [Hanisch] is out here every day working hard, trying to make connections with everybody and trying to keep everybody happy. We are just trying to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward.”

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