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Calhoun Enjoying Big Meet At Fair Grounds; Oaks Hopeful Hidden Connection Points To Rachel Alexandra

When Martin Mueller, Richard Reid and Donald Ladd's Gentle Soul crossed the finish line in front in the 8th race on Thursday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Bret Calhoun climbed all the up into a tie with four-time champion Brad Cox. Cox added two more to regain command on Saturday, but Calhoun figures to answer back in short order. From low-level Louisiana-bred runners to top level stakes horses, Calhoun has enjoyed success in all categories. This meet the trainer has thrived on turf, where the green-footed Gentle Soul joined Who took the Money and Excess Magic with two wins each on the lawn.

Thirteen wins is an impressive win total less than halfway through the meet, and since Dec. 11 he has sent out 11 winners from 39 starters( 28%). Never one to chase trainer titles, Calhoun, according to his own recollection, took the 2005 crown at Remington Park and added the 2012 title at Lone Star 2012. Nearing 30 years as a trainer, his numbers speak for themselves: 3,353 wins and nearing $100,000,000 in earnings (currently at $94,848,491).

“It's funny how this meet has gone,” Calhoun said. “I thought I had a few Louisiana-bred maidens that would have already won. I tried to have them ready to run at the first of the meet. As the best laid plans go, a couple of them got sick, a couple had minor injuries. So those are horses that are still out there and I think will win for us soon. Instead, we've won with some that you thought were going to run and had chances but you don't think they are can't-lose type horses. We've been fortunate to win with those. The other thing is we try not to have a lot of grass horses but we've won with a lot of grass horses. So it's been a pleasant surprise in some places.

“I don't get at this point in my life too worked up about titles,” Calhoun continued. “I just want to win as many races as we can and put them in the right places and win. It's always nice to be part of the thought process for that (title) but it's not something that drives me to maneuver horses here or there, to pull horses from other places just to win races. I just like to win the right races for the right money.”

One of Calhoun's most promising horses on the grounds is Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds' Hidden Connection, who has posted four local works, including 1:00 4/5 breeze on Saturday morning. The winner of her first two starts, including the Pocahontas (G3) at Churchill Downs with an 88 Bris speed figure, the filly by Connect concluded her freshman season finishing 4th after a stumbling start in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

“She's not quite ready yet,” Calhoun said. “There's no reason to force it. She's a smaller lighter filly. We're not going to pound a bunch of races into her too soon. She's coming along nicely. I think she is bulking up which is something we wanted to see, so we're really happy where she is in her training and her development. At the end of the day we sat down and talked about it (running in the Silverbulletday) and we are going to stay with our plan of waiting and going to the Rachel [Alexandra (G2) on Feb. 19].”

An early buzz horse for the Kentucky Oaks, Calhoun says he won't force it.

“Everybody has the hopes and dreams of the Oaks and all that but I don't want to do anything to set her back from a tremendous filly career. There are a lot of spots that could fit, including the Eight Belles (G2) (at seven furlongs), I don't know yet. We've had some nice 3-year-olds the last few years. We campaigned them smartly, and they've made one million or two million apiece and they've been worth a lot of money. I am going to take the same path with this filly.”

Meanwhile, Tejano Twist capped off a nine-race 2-year-old season finishing second in the $100,000 Gun Runner, awarding 10-4-2-1 Derby points. By Practical Joke, the game plan going forward looks to be at one-turn distances.

“I've shipped him over to Copper Crowne [training center],” Calhoun said. “He's walking the shed row for a few weeks. He's going to go back into training on Monday. You won't see him back to the races for a couple months. We just gave him a little breather. End of the day we didn't have Derby dreams [with Tejano Twist], but I do think he is a very good one-turn mile, shorter distance horse, so we are going to freshen him up for the spring.”

Some of the standout horses have been notching their wins on the turf include: Gentle Soul, Excess Magic, Lovely Ride, and Who took the Money.

A half-brother to By My Standards (also trained by Calhoun), Gentle Soul has flown through his first and second-level allowance conditions. Improving upon his first two-turn turf try, this son of Tapizar earned an 87 Bris, displaying a sobering turn of foot to flash a Bris late pace figure of 106.

“Obviously this horse has been slower to develop than By My Standards was,” Calhoun said. “This horse had some injuries along the way early in his career. He's always trained like a good horse even though he hasn't always run like one. I do think it is a 'light come on' type of situation. He's been a bit of a disappointment to us up until now. His mother was turf we were honestly searching and that's how we landed back on the turf and he has had two monster races.”

Third in this summer's Honorable Miss (G2) at Saratoga, Ain't No Elmers had a tough go in the recent $75,000 Menard Stakes at Fair Grounds.

“She came out of it great,” Calhoun said. “Trip-wise it was absolutely horrible. We lost all chances at multiple spots along the way there. At the end of the day the soft turf that day didn't do her any good. If she gets back to really good form we'll go on, if not we'll probably breed her after the next race.”

Thirty-one days down and 50 to go in the meet, the Calhoun barn will certainly hover near the top of the list throughout.

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Mystic Guide ‘In A Holding Pattern’ After Recent Setback

Last year's Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide had been aimed at a winter comeback, but trainer Michael Stidham told bloodhorse.com this week that the 5-year-old son of Ghostzapper didn't exit his latest work as well as he'd hoped.

“We weren't completely happy the way he came out of it. So we decided to send him up to Kentucky to Rood & Riddle, where Dr. (Larry) Bramlage did the surgery and is overseeing his comeback,” Stidham told bloodhorse.com. “Nothing serious, but enough to where we are in a holding pattern, where we had to slow down again and give him a little more time before he resumes his training.”

Mystic Guide has not raced since finishing second in the G2 Suburban Stakes on July 3, 2021, after which he underwent surgery to remove a knee chip. He managed to record a pair of workouts at the Fair Grounds in December, but now the horse's future is uncertain after the latest setback, which does not involve the knee on which surgery was performed. Mystic Guide will be in Kentucky with Godolphin trainer Johnny Burke for at least the next three weeks.

The lightly-raced Godolphin homebred has a record of four wins from nine starts, with earnings of $7,593,200.

DRF's Marcus Hersh first reported the news.

After Clairiere Comes La Crete: Cavorting’s Second Foal Nominated To Silverbulletday

Mapping out a talented horse's racing career can be difficult, but it helps to have a scout show the way. Clairiere's sensational 3-year-old surge for the Kentucky Oaks began with a win in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) at Fair Grounds, and now her half sister, Stonestreet Stable's La Crete who is nominated and expected to run in the Silverbulletday, looks to take a very similar path.

The nominations for the 30th running of the $150,000 Silverbulletday have been released, and 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Oaks points have helped entice 13 sophomore fillies for this 1 mile 70 yards main track contest. The Silverbulletday is one of six stakes on the “Road to the Derby Day” card at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, which takes place on Jan. 22. First post will be at 12:05 pm CT.

Unlike her sister who imposes her will in the late stages of a race, La Crete showed early interest winning a Nov. 20 maiden special weight at Churchill Downs when she held the lead through all points of call. The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro's forward style could prove a major advantage, given the success of early speed thus far at the Fair Grounds. Like her millionaire half-sister, La Crete is trained by Steve Asmussen.

However, if past tactics of other nominees holds up, La Crete will likely have early company. Nominated by Al Stall Jr., Columbine's Stables Fannie and Freddie has shown her pressing tactic,s most recently beaten a neck when earning 4 Oaks points in the Untapable on the locally contested “The Road to the Derby Kickoff Day” card on Dec. 26.

Todd Pletcher leads all trainers with three Silverbulletday nominees: Red Oak Stables' Goddess of Fire, Repole Stables' Gratitude, and Westerberg Limited, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B.Tabor, and Derrick Smith's Sweet as Pie.

All horses nominated for the 109th running of the $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) are also eligible for the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3) with the top four finishers receiving Kentucky Derby points (10-4-2-1). Standouts include Epicenter, Pappacap, Tiz the Bomb, Smile Happy, Rattle N Roll, Cyberknife, Oviatt Class and Zandon.

Finishing third in the Clark (G1), Midnight Bourbon is prepped and ready for his consistent nemesis, Mandaloun, who makes his return in the $150,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3) at 1 mile 1/16. Having raced five times prior, Midnight Bourbon tallies three higher finishes of their five prior bouts.

Michelle Lovell and Griffon Farms' Just Might and Susan Moulton's Manny Wah have both been nominated by their respective trainers–Michelle Lovell and Wayne “Catman” Catalano–for the 69th running of the $100,000 Duncan F. Keener Stakes 5 1/2 furlong turf sprint. Just Might has won the last two, but Manny Wah had the upper hand winning last year's edition of the Kenner.

The 36th Running Of The $100,000 Colonel E.R. Bradley Stakes going 1 1/16 miles over the Stall Wilson Turf Course has taken 36 nominations. Among many standouts: Hugh Robertson nominates Mr. D (G1) winner, Wolfe Racing's Two Emmys; Steve Asmussen nominates the “Buddy” Diliberto winner, Winchell Thoroughbreds' Halo Again; Cherie Deveux nominates David Ingordo and Gmack Racing's last out 2nd-level allowance winner Own Agenda; and Michael Maker nominates Three Diamonds Farm's Field Pass, last seen winning the Seabiscuit (G2) at Del Mar.

Nominations for fillies looking to prove their prowess going 1 1/16 miles over the turf have closed for the 23rd running of the $100,000 Marie G. Krantz. Narola and Anderson Farms Ontarion's Summer in Saratoga won with last-second dramatics last out in the Blushing KD and is nominated by trainer Joe Sharp.

“The Road to the Derby Day” at Fair Grounds takes place on Jan. 22 with a first post of 12:05 pm CT. The post position draw will take place on Saturday, Jan. 15. For a complete list of the nominees for the six stakes races courtesy of Equibase, along with past performances, click here.

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Mandaloun Has ‘Come To Hand Quick,’ Will Make 4-Year-Old Debut In Saturday’s Louisiana Stakes

Juddmonte's Mandaloun is set to make his 4-year-old debut in the $150,000 Louisiana Stakes on Saturday, Jan. 22 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La.

“That's our plan,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He's really come to hand quick. He looks amazing. Happy with the way his weight is and how he's taken shape. Excited about getting him back going this year and we will see how things go on Jan. 22.”

Mandaloun shook off his third place finish in the Lecomte by winning the Risen Star (G2) in his very next start. He was a virtual no show in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2), but bounced back with a huge second in the Kentucky Derby (G1) presented by Woodford Reserve. He later won the Pegasus at Monmouth in advance of a near miss in the July 17 Haskell (G1), the final start of his sophomore campaign.

“He needed time off,” Cox said. “He made that decision easy. We stopped on him and gave him time. For horses to progress, whether it be from (age) two to three or three to four, they need a break. He's received his break and he's come back.”

The son of Into Mischief returned to the work tab on November 28 at Churchill, and he posted his seventh breeze since returning to training on Sunday at Fair Grounds, stopping the timer in 1:13 1/5 for six furlongs.

“Listen, I'm not going to tell you that he's working better than ever because he's always a very, very good work horse to begin with,” Cox said. “I think anybody that watched him train up to the Kentucky Derby could believe the way he ran (second at 26-1), the way he was training. He's definitely working as well as he was leading up to the Derby, or the Haskell, so we're in a good spot with him. I think this is a race that makes a lot of sense as far as getting back racing and seeing how it goes.”

Also confirmed for the Louisiana is Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon, who, like Mandaloun, also launched a very successful sophomore campaign at Fair Grounds.

“They've raced against one another, let's see, one, two, three, four, maybe five times, I don't know, it's a lot,” Cox said. “They've mixed it up and made it exciting. Rivalries are good for racing. Midnight Bourbon is a very good horse. He's going to be very tough to beat in that he's not coming in off much of a layoff and we are. He might be a little tighter. He's a big beautiful horse. It will be an exciting match-up. We're looking forward to it.”

Should he perform well, the Mandaloun camp could have designs on the $20 million Saudi Cup on February 26

“The Saudi Cup is something we'd look at,” Cox said. “Ultimately it will come down to the Juddmonte team. They will make the final determination. We work extremely well together. They'll play it the way they always do. Horse comes first. It the horse is doing well and it makes sense, that's definitely something we would look at doing. That was sort of our plan when we got back started in the fall. One step at a time.”

After running third with the favored Mandaloun in last year's G3 Lecomte, Cox has another talented prospect for the 2022 edition.

“Right now we are looking at running Cyberknife,” Cox said. “He's doing well. He breezed well here the other day (:48 4/5 on Jan. 8). I think he's a good colt, I really do.”

Disqualified after crossing the line first in his career debut at Churchill, Cyberknife's greenness saw him defeated in Louisville six weeks later, this time on the square. Stretched out around two turns for the first time on Dec. 26 at Fair Grounds, he took a clear advantage in the stretch, but nearly coughed it up late.

“He's obviously raced erratically in all three starts down the lane,” Cox said. “I thought he was very impressive here last time up until the last little bit. It's all mental with him. It's nothing we can really fix with him in the mornings. He's a colt that has always been a little tough to handle. He's not straightforward. He's the kind of horse who requires a good hand. He's very immature. I think the talent is there, but he's got to take a step forward mentally, and I think he will. He just needs to race and get some miles underneath him in the afternoons. I think he's going to be a player in the 3-year-old division.”

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