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Pegasus Turf Winner Colonel Liam The Horse To Beat In Muniz Memorial

The early returns on Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam were admirable enough for a young horse. A diet of steady works allowed the son of Liam's Map to post a victory via disqualification in his career debut and, while he was beaten in his second outing, there was reason to believe Todd Pletcher, his Eclipse Award-winning conditioner had plenty to work with moving forward.

In order to bring that upside to the surface, however, Pletcher needed to get the gray colt a change in surface scenery. Since switching Colonel Liam to the grass, Pletcher has indeed found himself with a new stable star on his hands, one who can further enhance his budding reputation when he starts in Saturday's $300,000 Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2) against 11 rivals at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Contested at 1 1/8 miles over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course, the Muniz is race 12-of-14 and one of eight stakes races on Saturday's program. The headliner is the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2)—a Championship Series event on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The All Stakes Late Pick Five (races 10-14) and All Stakes Late Pick Four (races 11-14) are both estimated at $750,000.

The expectations Colonel Liam (post 5 as the 3-1 favorite on Mike Diliberto's morning line, with Irad Ortiz Jr. to ride) has carried since being purchased for $1.2 million at the 2019 OBS April 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale were met in his last start when he prevailed in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park on January 23. Since making his first two starts on dirt, Colonel Liam has won three of his four tries on the turf—confirming Pletcher's belief that life on the lawn would ultimately bring out the 4-year-old's best intangibles.

“We always sort of had in the back of our minds that he's got quite a bit of turf on the bottom side of his pedigree,” said Pletcher, a finalist for racing's Hall of Fame class this season. “He trained well enough on the dirt that we got him started but we also felt like maybe we weren't quite seeing the best of him. We worked him on the turf at Saratoga and that's when we saw a significant improvement. That's why we switched him to the turf, and he seems to have found a home there.”

The only blemish Colonel Liam has had on the turf came when he was bumped hard at the start of the Saratoga Derby last August en route to finishing fourth. A signal of what was to come then emerged last December when he came from off the pace to capture Gulfstream Park's Tropical Park Derby by 3 ¼ lengths.

In his first try against older horses and first venture into graded stakes company, Colonel Liam accelerated in the lane to best stablemate Largent by a neck in the Pegasus Turf while taking down a field that included grade 1 winner Next Shares and fellow Muniz entrant Pixelate.

“We felt very good coming into (the Pegasus),” Pletcher said. “He had got what we'd hoped for in the prep race and subsequently came back and trained great. We were very optimistic that he was sitting on a good race and would perform well. Aside from (the Saratoga Derby), he's been perfect on the grass and I think he's versatile enough he can handle multiple distances.”

The turf male ranks were ripe with parity last season as the top contenders took turns beating up on one another. Should Colonel Liam perform as expected in the Muniz, Pletcher would likely target the $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 1 with hopes of having his charge emerge as a definitive divisional leader.

“I will say now as an older horse, he has trained more impressively on the dirt than he used to so at some point we might consider trying that again, but he's doing so well on the grass now that we felt that the Muniz was good timing wise to hopefully propel him forward to the race at Churchill on Derby Day,” Pletcher said. “Right now, the plan it to hopefully go from the Muniz to Churchill and then there is a really good schedule of some high-quality grass races all summer. Hopefully we can have a good season with him.”

Gaining Ground Racing's Factor This (post 1 at 4-1 with Shaun Bridgmohan) will try stymie Colonel Liam's progression as he takes to the course where he has earned two of his four career graded stakes victories for trainer Brad Cox. The 6-year-old son of The Factor captured last year's Muniz Memorial—part of a four-race win streak for the bay horse—but has been off the board in his last three starts, including a fifth-place run in the February 13 Fair Grounds (G3).

“(Being on the rail) going 1 1/8 miles doesn't play a big role or scare me any, being down inside,” Cox said. “I like him better in this race than in the last race, from the standpoint that it looks like we're going to have a little bit of a softer pace and not be pressed as much, and that's what he likes. There's no secret about how he likes to run and the trip he needs; he needs to be able to take a breather and hopefully he can be able to get that on Saturday.”

Though Godolphin's homebred Pixelate (post 12 at 8-1 with Luis Saez) was fifth behind Colonel Liam in the Pegasus Turf, he was beaten less than 3 lengths by the winner and has the back class of his victory in the Del Mar Derby (G2) last September for trainer Mike Stidham.

“He ran very well (in the Pegasus Turf), he only got beaten a few lengths,” said Stidham. “He's one of those horses that, every time he runs, he's going to give you a huge effort. We're taking a shot; this race did come up very tough. But I think we're live, he tries every time, and if he gets a decent trip from that outside post, I think we're in there with a decent chance.”

Lothenbach Stables' homebred Captivating Moon (post 3 at 12-1 with Marcelino Pedroza) comes into the Muniz off a victory in the February 13 Fair Grounds, the first graded win for the 6-year-old horse in 29 career starts for trainer Chris Block. He is cross-entered in the New Orleans Classic (G2).

Completing the Muniz Memorial field from the rail out: Paul Braverman and owner-trainer Tom Morley's Ninety One Assault (post 2 at 30-1 with Mitchell Murrill), a Louisiana-bred stakes winner who is 7-for-11 over the Stall-Wilson; Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Broder (post 4 at 5-1 with Jose Ortiz), third in the Pegasus Turf for trainer Mike Maker; JPS Racing's Logical Myth (post 6 at 6-1 with Adam Beschizza); a two-time stakes winner at the meet and second in the Fair Grounds for trainer Joe Sharp; Wolfe Racing and owner-trainer Hugh Robertson's Two Emmys (post 7 at 20-1 with James Graham), who won an optional-claimer here in February; Terry Hamilton's Spooky Channel (post 8 at 8-1 with Florent Geroux), who enters off a win in the January 31 John B. Connally (G3) at Sam Houston for trainer Brian Lynch; Paradise Farms Corp and David Staudacher's Conviction Trade (post 9 at 15-1 with Joel Rosario), third in the Connally for Maker; JSM Equine's Peace Achiever (post 10 at 20-1 with Declan Carroll), third in the Fair Grounds for trainer Mark Casse; and Gary Barber's Olympic Runner (post 11 at 8-1 with John Velazquez), second, beaten a neck, in the February 27 Canadian Turf (G3) at Gulfstream for Casse.

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Dalika Chasing Another Emotional Victory For Stall In Tom Benson Memorial

In her most recent outing, Dalika provided trainer Al Stall Jr. with an emotional tribute to a most impactful figure in his life, his late father. The multiple stakes-winning mare can give her conditioner another happy tug on the heartstrings this Saturday when she heads up a field-of-13 entered for the $150,000 Tom Benson Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Run at 1 1/16 miles over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course, the Benson, named for the late owner of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, is one of eight stakes on the 14-race card that is headlined by the 108th running of the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2).

Bal Mar Equine's Dalika (post 3 as the 3-1 favorite on Mike Diliberto's morning line, with Miguel Mena to ride) already scored one sentimental triumph for Stall when she captured the Albert M. Stall Memorial—named for his late father—over the same course and distance on Feb. 13. Given that the Louisiana-born trainer conditions horses for Benson's G M B Stables, a victory by the 5-year-old daughter of Pastorius in Saturday's test would resonate beyond just adding to her career total of six wins from 18 starts.

“We were treating it (the Stall Memorial) like any other race as far as the horse was concerned,” Stall said. “As it got closer and the conditions (soft turf) were looking good for us and then when it happened (the win) it was sort of an explosion of emotions. It was great to have most of my family there. My wife, kids, mother, sisters, all that. It couldn't have really been much better.”

Dalika has notched two of her better career outings over the Stall-Wilson, winning the Blushing K. D. in December to go along with her victory in the Stall Memorial. Holding her top form for consecutive starts has been the albatross for the mare, however, as she has yet to post back-to-back wins in her career.

Sandwiched between her two victories at the New Orleans oval was a fifth-place run in Marie G. Krantz in January. Stall is hoping that the consistency he has seen from Dalika in the mornings will translate into her snapping her roller coaster history.

“If you look at her past performances, it's peaks and valleys and this looks like a valley type race,” Stall said. “We are just hoping that getting a super consistent number of races in her and training every day, this race keeps her at the proper level to win. Even at her age, we are still learning. We just hope we can put two good races together. That's the concern and the hope for this weekend.”

If Dalika has an off-day this weekend, conditions could be right for Pocket Aces Racing's Temple City Terror (post 6 at 8-1 with Joel Rosario) to turn the tables on her nemesis. The Brendan Walsh-trained mare was beaten by Dalika in both the Blushing K. D. and Stall Memorial but owns a win over the course, having prevailed in an optional-claimer going 1 1/16 miles in December.

“She's a model of consistency, she shows up every time,” Walsh said. “She's progressed really well as time goes on. She ran a blinder the last time. Joel (Rosario) actually won on her at Churchill last spring, so that's why we went for him, the fact that he's in town. Florent (Geroux) couldn't ride her back so we went with Joel, so here we are.She has won on firm a couple of times, but she does like a little give in the ground, but the key to her is plenty of pace. She does like to run at that pace at the end. She's got a great kick. She's doing great. I wouldn't count her out.”

Silverton Hill's homebred Pass the Plate (post 8 at 8-1 with Brian Hernandez Jr.) was a fast-closing third in the Stall Memorial for trainer Paul McGee. The 4-year-old daughter of Temple City beat 3-year-olds when she won the local Pago Hop in December and should get a solid pace to rally into Saturday.

An X-factor in the field could be Lothenbach Stables' multiple stakes winner Winter Sunset (post 5 at 20-1 with Marcelino Pedroza), who will be making just her second start since October 2019. The regally-bred daughter of Tapit out of grade 1 winner Winter Memories returned from a year-long layoff in October to finish sixth in a Keeneland allowance. Trained by Wayne Catalano, Winter Sunset has earned two of her three career wins over the Stall-Wilson.

Completing the Benson field from the rail out: MyRacehorse.com's His Glory (20-1 with Adam Beschizza), seventh as the pacesetter in the Stall Memorial for trainer Joe Sharp; Don Alberto Stable's homebred Dominga (post 2 at 8-1 with Florent Geroux), who won the LaCombe Memorial over the course last year but is unraced since August for trainer Brad Cox; The Elkstone Group's Logic N Reason (post 4 at 10-1 with John Velazquez), who enters off a win in a Jan. 2 optional-claimer at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Christophe Clement; La Nora's Joy Epifora (Arg) (post 7 at 15-1 with James Graham), a troubled fourth in the Stall Memorial for trainer Ignacio Correas; Ismael Thoroughbreds' Russian Mafia (post 9 at 20-1 with Santos Sanjur), who won a local course and distance optional-claimer Jan. 31 for trainer Eduardo Rodriguez; Full of Run Racing's Dreamalildreamofu (post 11 at 10-1 with Colby Hernandez), who romped in an off-the-turf optional-claimer here Jan. 23 for Cox; and Highlander Training Center's and Sharp's uncoupled entry of Catch a Bid (post 12 at 5-1 with Luis Saez), fourth in the Jan. 31 Jersey Lilly at Sam Houston, in her first start of the year and for her new barn, and Summer in Saratoga (post 13 at 10-1 with Irad Ortiz Jr.), unraced since winning a Sept. 10 AOC at Kentucky Downs.

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Favored Owendale To Be Challenged By Returning Grade 1 Winner Roadster In New Orleans Classic

Rupp Racing's multiple graded stakes winner Owendale headlines a competitive field of eight older horses for Saturday's 96th running of the $400,000 New Orleans Classic (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Run at 1 1/8 miles, the New Orleans Classic is Race 11-of-14 and one of eight stakes races on Saturday's program. The headliner is the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2)—a Championship Series event on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The All Stakes Late Pick Five (races 10-14) and All Stakes Late Pick Four (races 11-14) are both estimated at $750,000.

Trained by Brad Cox, Owendale began his 5-year-old campaign with a third-place effort in the Feb. 27 Razorback (G3) at Oaklawn Park behind top Dubai World Cup (G1) contender Mystic Guide. Installed as Mike Diliberto's 9-5 morning line favorite, the Into Mischief colt will break from post 2 with Florent Geroux aboard as he eyes his first graded stakes score since his 3-year-old campaign.

“Looking back, he didn't get the greatest trip behind a really tough horse (Mystic Guide),” Cox said of the Razorback. “It didn't appear that you wanted to be down inside at all that weekend, so we're hopeful he can move forward. I like the mile and an eighth with him. He's made about half of his money at the distance and we're hoping we can get his form turned around. We changed things up with Joel (Rosario) at Oaklawn but Florent knows the horse really well and I'm excited to get him back (aboard).”

Breaking to the inside of Owendale is Speedway Stable's 2019 Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Roadster (3-1 with John Velazquez), who is making his first start in more than a year for new trainer Mike Stidham. The Quality Road colt was previously campaigned in California by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert and ran 15th in the 2019 Kentucky Derby.

“We got him at the end of the year,” Stidham said. “He's had issues with his feet since he was a 2-year-old so we had a little stopping and starting since I got him. But right now, we got him as good as he can be. You can see by his worktab, he's worked three quarters of a mile three times in a row. But he's coming off a year layoff, so he needed that to feel like I had him ready to go a mile and an eighth in a Grade 2 race.”

JMJ Racing Stables' Olliemyboy (post 3 at 12-1 with Irad Ortiz Jr.) will attempt his first start in graded stakes company for trainer Norm Casse following two consecutive allowance victories at the meet. Prior to entering Casse's barn at the end of 2020, the now 4-year-old son of Union Rags had competed primarily over the Tapeta surface at Woodbine. In his first dirt try at two turns, Olliemyboy crushed a first-level allowance field by 4 ¼ lengths and followed that performance with a 1 ½-length victory at against second-level allowance company.

“He wasn't flashy training on the dirt and I honestly didn't know what to expect when we led this horse over the first time,” Casse said. “He's earned his way into this race by doing all the right things. I'm really excited. His work two weeks ago was the best since I've had him. We put him in company with a fairly decent horse and it was heads up and we came back and just worked him a half-mile like he did before he won the second allowance. He's on the same pattern, but I feel like he's training very well and he looks fantastic. We are not dummies, we know we are longshots in here, but I think he's got a really good shot.”

Another quality horse expected to garner attention in the New Orleans Classic is Courtlandt Farms' three-time winner Sonneman (post 8 at 9-2 with Joe Talamo), who finished second behind Maxfield in the February 13 Mineshaft (G3)—the local prep for this race. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Sonneman recorded a powerful 5 ¾-length victory in early November at Churchill Downs.

Completing the New Orleans Classic from the rail out: Lothenbach Stables' homebred Captivating Moon (post 4 at 10-1 with Marcelino Pedroza), an upset winner of the Feb. 13 Fair Grounds (G3) on turf who is also cross-entered in R12, the $300,000 Muniz Memorial (G2) for trainer Chris Block; John Oxley's Enforceable (post 5 at 8-1 with Adam Beschizza), fifth in the Mineshaft for trainer Mark Casse; Estate of James Coleman's Chess Chief (post 6 at 6-1 with Luis Saez), a closing third in the Mineshaft for trainer Dallas Stewart; and Wayne T. Davis' Mocito Rojo (post 7 at 30-1 with James Graham), sixth in the local Tenacious in February for trainer Shane Wilson.

Watch and wager on Saturday's action from Fair Grounds on the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Inc. – TwinSpires.com.

Additional New Orleans Classic quotes:

Stidham, Roadster: It's an aggressive spot but he's doing good and he's a quality horse; he won the Santa Anita Derby at a mile and an eighth. I feel like we've got him in peak condition, he looks like a million dollars, and he's training well, so we're going to take a shot. And the other thing is I didn't feel like this race was coming up as tough as it has in previous years. I figure we're taking a shot, but it's not a monster-tough race. – trainer Mike Stidham

Casse, Olliemyboy: We left the decision up to Adam (jockey Beschizza). He likes both horses, so it wasn't a matter of picking between them, it was more about staying loyal to my father (Mark) and to Mr. (John) Oxley. He got to ride that horse (Enforceable) in the Kentucky Derby and he wanted to be loyal to that horse. I would love to have Adam on. He's undefeated on our horse, he knows him very well and he has a lot of confidence on him but I think we brought in a bang-up substitute off the bench to say the least. It's a pretty wide-open race. It's a grade II for a lot of money and there are some good horses in there. I think the main for us is it's nine furlongs, which is right up his wheelhouse, we've won two races over the track already, so we are a horse who seems to be getting better every time he runs and these are the types of chances you take with horses like that.

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Clairiere, Travel Column Renew Rivalry In Fair Grounds Oaks

The score is tied at one apiece. Something will have to give when Clairiere and Travel Column meet for the third time in a row, this time with a lot more than the $400,000 that's on the line in Saturday's TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) at Fair Ground Race Course & Slots. The tremendously talented 3-year-old fillies meet again, with a berth into Churchill Downs' April 30 Kentucky Oaks Presented by Longines waiting in the balance, along with 170 qualifying points for the race, on a 100-40-20-10 scale.

The Oaks is a deserving supporting feature to the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and adds plenty of intrigue to a 14-race card that features eight stakes. Long on history, six of the last 16 winners of the Fair Grounds Oaks have gone on to double at Churchill Downs, with the last being Untapable in 2014.

Run at 1 1/16 miles, the Oaks drew a field of eight, though all eyes will be on Stonestreet Stables' homebred Clairiere (post 6 at 5-2 on Mike Diliberto's morning line, with Joe Talamo to ride) and OXO Equine's Travel Column (post 8 at 2-1 with Florent Geroux).

Clairiere pulled off a slight upset when she beat Travel Column in the local February 13 Rachel Alexandra (G2), winning a stretch duel by a neck for trainer Steve Asmussen, who has won the local Oaks three time and has pulled off the Oaks double twice, with Summerly in in 2005 and again with Untapable. Clairiere, a regally-bred daughter of Curlin out of the multiple grade 1 winner Cavorting, was making her seasonal debut and first start since running second to Travel Column in Churchill's Golden Road (G2) in November, in what was just her second lifetime start. Clairiere has closed from at or near the back in all three career starts, and in an Oaks without a lot of early pace, she will once again have to make up ground on Travel Column. Regardless, Asmussen is looking forward to renewing the rivalry.

“Rubber match, right, with two qualities fillies,” Asmussen said. “The trip worked out perfectly for us in the Rachel Alexandra. At a mile-and-a-sixteenth, I think the fillies are competitive. It's the same distance on Saturday. We feel really good about our prospects going forward.”

Travel Column lost nothing in defeat as the even-money favorite in the Rachel Alexandra for trainer Brad Cox, who won his first local Oaks last year with Bonny South and has won two of the last three Kentucky Oaks as well. Travel Column has every right to turn the tables on Clairiere, as she was forced to make first run and tired only slightly in what was also her first start since the Golden Road. It was in that 1-length win at Churchill that the Frosted filly came to national attention, as she encountered plenty of trouble early and late yet won going away in what was clearly a coming-out performance. Travel Column is 2-for-4 lifetime and Cox is expecting another forward move with a filly who should have a tactical edge on her main rival.

“I think she should get a good stalking trip from our post,” Cox said. “There's no pace in the race. We're not going to sit back there and give someone the race. We didn't win (the Rachel Alexandra) but we were very, very pleased with the comeback and we expect her to move forward off that return. She's a very, very good work horse and she's been training great since that race.”

Joel Politi's Li'l Tootsie (post 4 at 4-1 with Luis Saez) is 2-for-3 in her career for trainer Tom Amoss, with all three starts coming at Fair Grounds. The daughter of Tapiture aired at 6 furlongs in her second start then stretched out to 1 1/16 miles and again looked good, settling early then finding room along the rail to win a February 21 optional-claimer in the slop. Amoss and Politi teamed in 2019 with Serengeti Empress, who starred locally and went on to win the Kentucky Oaks. Li'l Tootsie has yet to show she can play on a stage like that, but Amoss still enters with plenty of confidence.

“To say that we are in deep water is probably true, but at the same time this is a filly who can handle deep water; she might be in the deep end of the pool but she's doing the backstroke,” Amoss said. “She's a good horse and she's one that can hold her own with any of the fillies in this country. That's not only a trainer's opinion, but it shows in the speed figures. The Ragozin number is very, very good.”

A pair of Gulfstream Park invaders add to the depth of what is the best Oaks prep to date. Shadwell Stable's homebred Zaajel (post 1 at 8-1 with Irad Ortiz Jr.) in undefeated in two starts for Todd Pletcher. The daughter of Street Sense won twice at 7 furlongs at Gulfstream, including the January 30 Forward Gal (G3), though she'll clearly have to improve in what will be her two-turn debut. Zaajel has settled just off a quick pace in both her runs, and with an inside draw in what is a paceless Oaks, could find herself on the lead in an attempt to give Pletcher his third Oaks win, to go with Unlimited Budget (2013) and Ashado (2004), who also went on to win at Churchill.

Juddmonte Farms' homebred Obligatory (post 5 at 5-1 with Jose Ortiz) is another who should be close in her two-turn debut for trainer Bill Mott. The Curlin filly didn't fire when a troubled fourth on debut at Belmont Park in October but put it all together in her next start February 7 at Gulfstream, when she stretched out to a one-turn mile and drew off with ease.

Franco Meli's homebred Il Malocchio (post 7 at 15-1 with Brian Hernandez Jr.) was third in Tampa Bay Downs' February 6 Suncoast in her seasonal debut and first start for trainer Kenny McPeek, while Brad King, Jim Cone, Scott Bryant, and Stan and Suzanne Kirby's Moon Swag (post 2 at 20-1 with Adam Beschizza) was a distant third in the Rachel Alexandra but is on the improve for trainer Brendan Walsh, and Live Oak Plantation's Souper Sensational (post 3 at 15-1 with John Velazquez) was second in the local Silverbulletday in February for trainer Mark Casse but will try to bounce back from a well-beaten sixth in the Rachel Alexandra.

Additional Fair Grounds Oaks Quotes:

Amoss, Li'l Tootsie: Looking the field over, the one thing that captures your attention, there's no real pacesetter in the race. These horses are all stalk and jump on the lead twice. If you look at our last route race, which is a complete contradiction to the two sprints in terms of style, you have to ask yourself 'What are you going to get this time around from Li'l Tootsie?' I strongly believe she's going to be much sharper out of the gate and much more involved with what's going on early in the race. I'm not here to tell you that she's going to be the pacemaker, because that's not really that important to me, I think she's very capable of running well from anywhere on the track, I just believe that she's going to break sharper and be a part of that first wave of horses. I think her God-given athleticism will come into play.

I have a very good relationship with (Luis) Saez and his agent Kiaran McLaughlin, a former trainer, and we've had a lot of success with them. Luis won two grade 1's for me last year with Serengeti Empress and No Parole and when I found out he was coming into town, I told them I would support them all I can. I think he's one of the best riders in the entire country and I'm honored to have him on my horses.

She's got three races and a route under her belt. When you look at her in the paddock, she's a very good looking, athletic filly. She is also more feminine-looking than say, Serengeti Empress, so she doesn't need as much. She gets a lot out of her gallops, she's very enthusiastic in the morning, she loves to train. With what we've got coming ahead, I just don't feel like she needs to be set down hard anymore. We did that. We got to where we wanted to be. I'm very comfortable with how we've trained coming into the race and the time between races.

Walsh, Moon Swag: She runs well at Fair Grounds. She hasn't done anything wrong this winter and it's another chance to get some valuable black type. Realistically we are looking at running for a placing, but who knows. She'll be running at them at the end, and if there is a pace meltdown, we might get lucky. She's tricky temperamentally, but she's gotten better all the time. Three or four months ago you wouldn't have believed that she is where she is now with a live shot at a race like this. Since we've gotten to know her, she's found consistency through her routine. She just needs to keep progressing in her races and I can't see why she'd stop now.

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