Robert Lothenbach, who passed away this past November, was one of North America's leading owners for nearly 30 years. His Lothenbach Stables amassed more than 800 wins and earnings of more than $30 million since 2000 and he was a top 10-ranked owner nationally in 2020 and 2022.

“Opportunities to purchase ready-to-run racing stock from a leading operation like Mr. Lothenbach's happen very rarely,” said Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales Leif Aaron. “All of Mr. Lothenbach's horses have been in the hands of top-class horsemen, and buyers will find quality offerings that suit a variety of racing programs and conditions.”

Among the horses in the catalogue with recent updates are the 4-year-old Earl of Dassel (Cairo Prince), who broke his maiden at Fair Grounds last Thursday and Happy American (Runhappy), who finished third in the GIII Louisiana S. Jan. 20.

Horses are located at Fair Grounds Race Course and Delta Downs in Louisiana; Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Florida; Grace Full Oaks Training Center in Ocala, Florida; and in Kentucky at Skylight Training Center, Turfway Park, and Chesapeake Farm in Lexington.

All entries are accompanied by photos and walking videos, X-rays, Daily Racing Form past performances, Thoromanager past performances, Ragozin speed figures, and race replays.

To create an account or register to bid, visit digital.fasigtipton.com.

The post Fasig-Tipton Digital Lothenbach Dispersal Open for Bidding appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The pair clashed in last month's Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds when Mandaloun came out on top by three-quarters of a length.

Now they will go head-to-head again in the world's most valuable race, run over nine furlongs on the dirt track at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday, Feb. 26.

The Louisiana Stakes was Mandaloun's first run since he was awarded the G1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park in July when Hot Rod Charlie was disqualified for impeding Midnight Bourbon after passing the winning post a nose in front.

A setback prematurely ended the Kentucky Derby runner-up's 3-year-old season, and his trainer Brad Cox believes he is still improving ahead of his trip to Saudi for the world's most valuable fixture.

He said: “Mandaloun ran a really big race at Fair Grounds in the Louisiana Stakes. It was his first run in a while and he appears to have come out of it in great order – he had a good workout on Sunday morning.

“He seems to have moved forward from three to four. If he moves forward again, he's going to be tough in The Saudi Cup.

“I always thought he was a Grade 1 horse, so it was important for us and for Juddmonte to try to win a Grade 1 with him and add him to the stallion roster.

“Obviously, he was awarded the Grade 1 in the Haskell Stakes. Out of the Haskell he just wasn't quite right behind and we just gave him the time he needed.

“He's come back bigger and stronger. Florent (Geroux) rode him and he said as soon as he came back that he was a more polished horse mentally. That gives us a lot of confidence moving forward.

“I think the track will be fine. He's a horse who's capable of being where we need him to be in a race. He's able to adjust to the pace – if it's slow he can be up close, if it's fast he can sit off it.

“A one-turn mile-and-an-eighth (1800m) is not something we get much in America, Belmont is the only place, but I'm confident he'll be able to handle it.

“The Saudi Cup has not been around long but it's definitely grabbed the attention of the entire world. It's becoming a race on everyone's calendar and if we were capable of winning it for Juddmonte it would obviously mean a tremendous amount.”

Despite finishing behind Mandaloun in the Louisiana Stakes and last year's Kentucky Derby, when he endured a troubled passage, Midnight Bourbon's trainer Steve Asmussen has high hopes his stable star will finally claim his big-race victory.

The colt hasn't enjoyed much luck during his career. He unseated Paco Lopez when hampered as he made his challenge in the Haskell Stakes and his trainer believes the ability is there to be a champion.

Asmussen said: “He has an elite level of talent without finishing it off at this stage. He's not had the success his ability would allow but it also leaves a lot for us moving forward.

“He is still in a physical and mental development that I think allows for him to possibly end up being the best horse in training in the world this year.

“The only time he's missed the break in his life was in the Kentucky Derby which was won by a horse (Medina Spirit) he breaks next to in the Preakness and runs into the ground.

“It's one thing after another but it's there, it just needs to come together. I'm hoping beyond hope and expecting that he's waiting for The Saudi Cup stage to put it all together perfectly.”

Jockey Joel Rosario rode Midnight Bourbon in the Louisiana Stakes and he will keep the ride in the Group 1 Saudi Cup. He will need to reverse that form with Mandaloun but Asmussen believes last month's race will put the edge on his big race hope.

He said: “That was his prep for The Saudi Cup, not The Saudi Cup. He came out of it in better shape than he went into it. It was a very good exercise.

“I know from the preparation going into his last race, how he's come out of it and how he's worked since, that we are jumping forward.

“His numbers are very competitive with any horse in the world – the numbers being the speed he has attained. We just have to finish it off.

“He is considerably more mature in his approach to training than he has been in the past. He had a beautiful work on Sunday at Fair Grounds. He came out of it in great shape and he went back to the track very well on Tuesday morning.

“I will look for something a touch better, not significantly better, this coming Sunday. Then he will van from New Orleans to Palm Meadows and fly out from there.”

The American pair will attempt to wrestle The Saudi Cup crown from last year's winner Mishriff. He was reported to be in good shape ahead of the world's most valuable race by joint-trainer Thady Gosden on Tuesday.

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The Juddmonte homebred by Into Mischief, trained by Brad Cox and racing off a seven-month layoff, covered 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:42.52. It was Geroux's fourth win on the card.

Each millionaire received Lasix for the first time in Saturday's contest, and trainer Steve Asmussen added blinkers to the equipment of Midnight Bourbon.

Midnight Bourbon broke in a bit at the start, bumping Mandaloun slightly, then went straight to the lead under Rosario. Midnight Bourbon had a one-length advantage over Sprawl entering the backstretch, setting fractions of 24.39 and 48.25 seconds, then pulling away to a two-length lead nearing the half-mile pole.

Geroux sent Mandaloun up the rail into second approaching the far turn, then angled to the outside of Midnight Bourbon to mount his stretch challenge. Midnight Bourbon went wide into the lane, pushing Mandaloun out to the center of the track, and the two were head-and-head for the next eighth of a mile.

Battling fiercely, the two millionaires dug in gamely down the stretch. Mandaloun got his head in front at the sixteenth pole, and continued to inch away toward the wire. At the finish, it was Mandaloun by three-quarters of a length over Midnight Bourbon, denying Rosario and Asmussen a fourth win on Saturday's card in New Orleans. It was several lengths back to Warrant in third, also trained by Cox, and Spa City checked in fourth over Sprawl.

Bred in Kentucky by his owner, Mandaloun is out of the Group 2-winning Empire Maker mare Brooch. He impressed on debut at Keeneland in 2020, then won a first-level allowance before finishing third in the 2021 Lecomte (G3). Mandaloun returned to win the G2 Risen Star, but never showed up next out in the G2 Louisiana Derby. Still, he'd earned enough points to Run for the Roses, and Mandaloun ran a giant race to finish second behind Medina Spirit in the shadow of the Twin Spires.

Mandaloun won the listed Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth five weeks later, and was awarded the victory in the G1 Haskell when Hot Rod Charlie was disqualified in July. Unraced since that start on July 17, Mandaloun returned plenty fit to capture the Louisiana Stakes in what could be a prep for the world's richest horse race, the G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 26. Overall, Mandaloun's record stands at six wins from nine starts for earnings of over $1.75 million.

The post Mandaloun Denies Midnight Bourbon In Louisiana Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The duo will be traveling 1 1/16 miles on Saturday, the same distance they ran in the 2021 Lecomte when facing one another for the first time. Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon was fresh off a three-month layoff and wired the field. Now it's the even-money morning line favorite Mandaloun's turn to come in fresh. His last start was July 17 in the Haskell (G1) when he dueled through the final furlong finishing a nose short of Hot Rod Charlie, but an impending DQ awarded Juddmonte's Mandaloun his fifth career win out of eight starts.

“He needed time off. He made that decision easy,” trainer Brad Cox said. “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. 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. 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.”

Mandaloun will break from post two with his sole-rider Florent Geroux on board. He'll recognize the horse to his outside but not the rider.

On the track where it all began, Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon has the neighboring spot in post three. Last seen setting the pace in November's Clark (G1) at Churchill Downs with jockey Joel Rosario on board, Midnight Bourbon ran well, only to be overtaken in the stretch by the classy Maxfield and Happy Saver. He gets a slight cut-back in distance to 1 1/16 miles for the Louisiana. As in the Clark, Rosario gets the call, his second on Midnight Bourbon who will break from the post three (6-5 ML).

This time, Midnight Bourbon has a new trick up his sleeve: blinkers.

“As good as he's been, I think there is more there,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “It doesn't look like he's finishing it (his races) off. He's not exhausted when he comes back. I think we can get a little more out of him. There is the possibility that it makes him more aggressive and that he gets in too big of a hurry. The Louisiana Stakes is the perfect time to try it.”

With a field of horses who have shown strong early pace, they'll have their hands full throughout. Starting on the rail: Chess Chief, Sprawl, Pirate's Punch, Warrant, and Spa City make up the field of seven.

Adele B Dilschneider and Claiborne Farms' Sprawl finished sixth last out in October's Lukas Classic (G3) at Churchill Downs, the race prior was his first graded stakes victory, leading most of the way in the West Virginia Governor (G3) at Mountaineer. Trainer Tom Drury Jr. brought him to Fair Grounds to ready him specifically for the Louisiana.

“That little horse fought some wars for us,” Drury said. “We've had this race in mind and we've worked backwards from it. After the Lukas Classic, we sent him to Robby Harris in Florida and gave him a little downtime. Ever since it's been like clockwork. He walked off the van (at Fair Grounds) doing good and he's been doing good ever since, but I'll be honest, I didn't anticipate the race coming up as tough as it has. That being said, Sprawl is a seasoned, older horse and we are going to take our best shot and see what happens.”

By City Zip, his pace-setting presence adds uncertainty to how the race will unfold. Fair Grounds' leading rider Colby Hernandez is on board from post four (10-1 ML).

“We are just going to let Colby ride his race,” Drury said. “I do think he's going to want to be forward, but I'd love to see him in a stalking-type position. I don't want to leave there shooting ducks trying to make the lead at all costs.”

Approximately half of Chess Chief's earnings have come from his five wins, each of them taking place at Fair Grounds. Possibly a horse for the course, but the Estate of James J Coleman Jr's 6-year-old has been ambitiously placed throughout his career, losing to Maxfield four times, Knicks Go, and other classy rivals. He's coming off a thrilling win in the $100,000 Tenacious on “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day” in which he bested Happy American by a scant nose. He is scheduled to break from the rail with Reylu Gutierrez aboard (12-1 ML), although trainer Dallas Stewart has indicated that a run in the Pegasus World Cup the following Saturday is also on the table.

Finishing third last out in the Tenacious, Craig W. Dragner and Gulliver Racing's Pirate's Punch has not won any of his six races since his 2020 back-to-back graded stakes wins. Breaking from post five at morning line odds of 20-1, Corey Lanerie returns after taking him to the lead last out. The Grant Forster-trained 6-year-old gelding will have options to pass or press his half-brother Midnight Bourbon.

That's right, dam Catch the Moon and breeder Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings must be proud.

The remainder of the field with post position, jockey/trainer and morning line odds is as follows: Twin Creeks Racing Stables' Warrant (post six, Brian Hernandez Jr/Brad Cox, 12-1 ML), the 2021 Oklahoma Derby (G3) winner makes his 4-year-old debut; and Maggi Moss' Spa City (post seven James Graham/Tim Amoss, 20-1 ML), who was claimed for $40,000 four starts back.

The post Mandaloun, Midnight Bourbon Rivalry Continues In Louisiana Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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“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.”

The post Mandaloun Has ‘Come To Hand Quick,’ Will Make 4-Year-Old Debut In Saturday’s Louisiana Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A homebred like the aforementioned, the son of More Than Ready is from the immediate family of Seeking the Soul and is a grandson of one of the greatest race-mares of all time, undefeated Breeders' Cup-winning champion Personal Ensign. Title Ready exits a smart victory for Stewart in the Louisiana Stakes (G3) on Jan. 16 at New Orleans' Fair Grounds over G2 winner Wells Bayou, a culmination of six starts focused on refining the dark bay since he was received in the spring of 2020.

After competing 19 times for Steve Asmussen, he was switched to Stewart, resulting in a pair of good-looking wins, an excellent third to Mr Freeze in the Fayette (G2) and unplaced efforts in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and Clark Stakes (G1).

“Chuck is excited to come and I am too,” Stewart said. “We ran him in the Breeders' Cup and there wasn't enough pace, so he really ran pretty good that day. I probably ran him back a little quick in the Clark at Churchill, but I think he's good enough for those, so I gave him a little time after that and took him down to the Fair Grounds. Then he won in New Orleans and he looked really good that day. He's just doing great and he looks awesome.

“He's a beautiful horse with a great pedigree, by More Than Ready and with Personal Ensign on the bottom side, and is related to Seeking the Soul. That whole family is so strong. ” Stewart continued. “He's training great and is a wonderful horse to have in the barn, so I really wanted to give him a shot in this race.”

Blunt and charismatic, as always, Stewart knows he is diving once again into deep waters with the good-looking 6-year-old, but that has not stopped him from taking home a big check before. His proficiency with aiming toward a big race and placing with long-odds runners has been document ad nauseam, so his eagerness to send Title Ready should be noted.

Stewart: “He doesn't look six, that's for sure. He's a young-looking dude. He's a true grinder and really just keeps coming and keeps trying. He's a real happy horse and trains well.

“I think we got outrun the two times we were there so far, but I believe the approach we have is solid. We just have to get there and run the race. It's $12 million, it's a mile and a quarter, we're hoping he will be better at that distance and we're game to try.

“It's the only way I know to approach races. You have to be game to do it, train for it and then you go for it. We really want to thank Sheikh Mohammed for having the race and allowing us back to run. We really appreciate it.”

The post Stewart Taking Another Shot At Dubai World Cup With ‘True Grinder’ Title Ready appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., the Dallas Stewart-trained son of More Than Ready covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.27, winning by 1 1/4 lengths and paying $13 as the fifth choice in the wagering. Seven horses went postward, with Wells Bayou the 2-1 favorite and Blackberry Wine second choice at 3-1.

Blackberry Wine outhustled Wells Bayou – making his first start since a fifth-place finish in a division of the G1 Arkansas Derby last May 2 – taking the early lead under Adam Beschizza and setting fractions of :25.28, :49.53 and 1:13.91 for the opening six furlongs.

Wells Bayou, who won the 2020 Louisiana Derby alone on the lead, chased throughout, while Title Ready raced in fourth, about three to four lengths behind the leader.

As Wells Bayou tried to challenge the leader, Hernandez got Title Ready rolling on the outside into the stretch and had 1 1/2 lengths to make up with a furlong to run.  He gained command in the final sixteenth after a mile time of 1:38.05 and pulled away for the victory.

The win was the fifth in 25 career starts for the 6-year-old Title Ready, who was coming off a 10th-place finish behind Bodexpress in the G1 Clark and before that was seventh to Authentic in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic. Produced from Title Seeker, an unraced daughter of champion Personal Ensign, Title Ready was graded stakes placed several times but the Louisiana was his first stakes victory.

The post Title Ready Notches First Stakes Victory, Upsetting Blackberry Wine And Wells Bayou In Louisiana appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Fair Grounds in New Orleans has a 13-race card with six stakes in all, two of them graded, including the G3 Lecomte, a qualifying points race for the G1 Kentucky Derby. Aqueduct offers the 150th running of the Ladies Handicap, and Tampa Bay Downs presents the Pasco and Gasparilla for 3-year-olds and 3-year-old fillies, respectively, that may have designs on official Derby and Kentucky Derby points races down the road at the Oldsmar, Fla., track.

The action at Laurel gets under way at 12:25 p.m. (all times Eastern) with a nine-race card featuring six consecutive stakes beginning with the Geisha (Race 3, 1:23 p.m.) for older fillies and mares going one mile. The stakes finale at Laurel is the inaugural running of the Spectacular Bid for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs, where a field of nine will go postward.

Winter Carnival Day entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/RaceCardIndexLRL011621USA-EQB.html

Gulfstream Park's 12-race program starts at 11:45 a.m. ET, with the Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf Stakes kicking off the stakes action in the eighth race at 3:15 p.m. The stakes that follow consecutively are the Sunshine Classic, Sunshine Sprint and Sunshine Turf.

Sunshine Day entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP011621USA-EQB.html

California Cup Day has 10 races including five stakes for state-bred runners. First post is noon locally (3 p.m. ET) and the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf gets the stakes going in the day's fourth race at 4:30 p.m. ET. Field sizes throughout the day are large, with 105 horses entered in the 10 races.

Cal Cup Day entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/RaceCardIndexSA011621USA-EQB.html

Here's a quick look at the graded stakes

Saturday, Jan. 16

5:23 p.m. ET – $125,000 Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds

Wells Bayou, the G2 Louisiana Derby winner in 2020 in front-running fashion, makes his first start in the G3 Louisiana Stakes since finishing a well-beaten fifth in a division of the G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn last May 2. Will he be ready to fire his best off the layoff? Blackberry Wine figures to be breathing down the neck of Wells Bayou and comes off a sharp score in allowance company at Fair Grounds Dec. 13, earning a 98 Beyer Speed Figure in the process. Silver Prospector will be running late in this 1 1/16-mile main track race.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/FG011621USA10-EQB.html

6:49 p.m. ET – $200,000 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds

Trainer Michael Stidham appears to have a strong one-two punch in this G3 Kentucky Derby points race (note that none of the 11 starters will be treated with race-day Lasix in accordance with the eligibility rules for Derby points). Proxy has won two straight at Fair Grounds for Stidham, and this Tapit colt was produced from Panty Raid, winner of the G1 American Oaks on turf and the G1 Spinster on dirt. His other Lecomte runner is Manor House, an upstart gelding who won his debut at Laurel in December by 12 1/4 lengths. Both showed speed and there are several others in the lineup who could make things very competitive on the front end. That could set things up for the stretch-running colt Midnight Bourbon from the Steve Asmussen barn.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/FG011621USA13-EQB.html

Sunday, Jan. 17

6:30 p.m. ET – $100,000 Astra Stakes at Santa Anita

Racing fans will get a glimpse of Santa Anita's famous hillside turf course as the nine fillies and mares in the 1 1/2-mile Astra Stakes begin their journey on that course, cross over the main track, then travel once around the turf oval. Quick, the 5-2 morning line favorite trained by John Sadler, has just one victory from eight starts since being imported from England. Second choice Altea, a French-bred formerly trained by Chad Brown but switched to Michael McCarthy prior to her last start in the Dec. 27 Robert J. Frankel (G3), is 1-for-19 in the U.S. since importation from France. Neither inspires great confidence. Avenue de France does like to win, but two of her three career victories from eight starts were in France.  She comes off an allowance win for Leonard Powell and might be the “now” horse.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA011721USA7-EQB.html

The post Weekend Lineup Presented By Laurel Park Winter Carnival: Sunshine And A Derby Prep appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Carded as race 10, the Louisiana is the second leg of the $100,000 guaranteed “All Stakes Pick Five” and the first leg of the $150,000 guaranteed “All Stakes Pick Four”. Both sequences conclude with the Lecomte Stakes (G3), which is carded as the finale on a 13-race extravaganza.

Wells Bayou, who drew post 8-of-9, was installed by Mike Diliberto as the lukewarm 3-1 morning line favorite with regular rider Florent Geroux in tow. The 4-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky stamped himself as a legitimate Kentucky Derby (G1) contender for trainer Brad Cox when he won the local Derby in gate-to-wire fashion last March. Things didn't go accordingly to plan from there, however, as Wells Bayou was a distant fifth after dueling on the lead in the May 2 Arkansas Derby (G1) and hasn't been seen since.

“We worked him a time or two after the Arkansas Derby and we weren't happy with the works,” Cox said. “We sent him off for a bone scan. There was nothing major going on, just a little bone remodeling and young horse stuff, you know, some wear and tear. He just needed some time off and he got that.”

Should he rediscover his form, Wells Bayou, who is 3-for-6 lifetime, would be a major addition to a handicap division there for the taking at the start of 2021. The Louisiana is clearly just a start to what Cox hopes is a serious campaign, which is why he may not be at his absolute best Saturday.

“He's been a little slow to get back on track,” Cox said. “He was very heavy when he came in. His last few works at Oaklawn have been really sharp. The race (Louisiana) was there so we would enter and take a good look at it and it looks like a really good comeback spot for him.”

Calumet Farm's homebred Blackberry Wine (post 4 at 9-2 with Adam Beschizza), was an easy 5 ½-length winner of a local December 13 optional-claimer for trainer Joe Sharp. The 4-year-old son of Oxbow has long been held in high regard by his connections in a Jekyll and Hyde career that has seen some big wins and disappointing efforts as well. Blackberry Wine is 2-for-11 lifetime, which includes a distant seventh in the Risen Star here last February, but Sharp believes the arrow is pointing up leading into the Louisiana after such a dominant win.

“We felt really good coming into the Fair Grounds race last time,” Sharp said. “That was the old Blackberry Wine and numbers-wise, it was even better than the old Blackberry Wine. The timing is good. He's had a few good works since then. It doesn't look like there is a lot of speed in the race, which plays into our hand. He doesn't have to be on the lead, but he likes to be close early, that's for sure.”

Charles Fipke's homebred Title Ready (post 6 at 6-1 with Brian Hernandez Jr.) has been knocking heads with some of the best horses in the country the past few years for trainer Dallas Stewart. He enters Saturday's assignment off a seventh in the Breeders' Cup Classic November 7 at Keeneland in November and a 10^th in the Clark at Churchill Downs 20 days later. The 6-year-old son of More Than Ready is 4-for-24 lifetime and has hit the board in seven stakes, including a third in the Fayette (G2) at Keeneland in October. There's little doubt Title Ready gets a decided drop in class in the Louisiana, which could result in a long-awaited initial stakes win.

“I think the company will be a little lighter for him and he tries hard every time he runs,” Stewart said. “That's the type of horse you want to be around.”

Courtlandt Farms' Sonneman (post 9 at 4-1 with James Graham) was a closing second to heavyweight Maxfield in the local December 19 Tenacious for trainer Steve Asmussen. The 4-year-old son of Curlin was making his first start against older horses and was much farther back than usual, yet he rallied nicely for the place spot and was well clear of third. Sonneman was second in Churchill's Pat Day Mile (G2) in September and is another who could be a big player in the older horse division this year.

Completing the Louisiana field from the rail out: trainer Gerard Perron's Grand Luwegee (20-1 with Colby Hernandez), who shocked the local December 12 Louisiana Classic over state breds; Lothenbach Stables' Captivating Moon (post 2 at 6-1 with Shaun Bridgmohan), fifth in the Tenacious for trainer Chris Block and also cross-entered in the Colonel E.R. Bradley in R11; Ed and Susie Orr's Silver Prospector (post 3 at 5-1 with Ricardo Santana Jr.), who drops in class after running sixth in Churchill's November 27 Clark (G1) for Asmussen;; Lea Farms' Indimaaj (post 5 at 12-1 with Joe Talamo), who enters off two straight dominant optional-claiming wins at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Jeff Engler; and Don't Tell MY Wife Stables, Monomoy Stables, and West Point Thoroughbreds' My Boy Jack (post 7 at 12-1 with Gabriel Saez), a multiple graded stakes winning 3-year-old in 2018 who goes second-off a 13-month layoff and is also entered in the Bradley for trainer Keith Desormeaux.

The post Louisiana Derby Winner Wells Bayou Makes Long-Awaited Return At Fair Grounds appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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