Unbeaten HIGH LIMIT (Maria’s Mon) makes his highly anticipated return to the races
Saturday in the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (G2). Switched to trainer Bobby Frankel
following a pair of an impressive victories at Delaware Park last October, High
Limit shows seven workouts at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida in
preparation for his stakes and 2005 bow. He’s the 5-2 favorite on the morning
line against eight rivals in the 1 1/16-mile event.
SCIPION (A.P. Indy) likes the track, taking the Risen Star S. (G3) by 1 1/4
lengths last month, and could contend for favoritism. Gary Stevens will be back
in New Orleans to pilot the Patrick Biancone trainee. KANSAS CITY BOY (Boston
Harbor) is another contender. Trainer Kenny McPeek, who wanted an outside post
for the Holy Bull S. (G3) runner-up, received the far outside gate for the April
9 foal.
Whirlaway S. winner SORT IT OUT (Out of Place) is the surprise entrant. Sold
privately following his Whirlaway score at Aqueduct, the New York-bred was moved
to trainer Bob Baffert, who decided to give the colt some time off following a
grueling winter with four starts over the inner track. Sort It Out, who picks up
the services of Fair Grounds’ leading rider Robby Albarado, now appears back on
the Triple Crown trail.
The complete lineup, from the rail with riders and morning-line odds, is Sort
It Out, 6-1; STORM SURGE (Storm Cat), Jerry Bailey, 6-1; High Limit, Ramon
Dominguez; REAL DANDY (Yankee Victor), Donnie Meche, 8-1; INDY STORM (A.P.
Indy), Larry Melancon, 20-1; WALLSTREET SCANDAL (Mt. Livermore), Rafael Bejarano,
10-1; Scipion, 4-1; VICARAGE (Vicar), John Velazquez, 10-1; and Kansas City Boy,
Brice Blanc, 5-1.
The Louisiana Derby day program also contains the $500,000 New Orleans H.
(G2) and $300,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2).
A pair of Kentucky Oaks (G1) prospects, SUMMERLY (Summer Squall) and RUNWAY
MODEL (Petionville), will square off in the 8 1/2-furlong Fair Grounds Oaks.
Summerly opened her 2005 season with a 9 3/4-length romp at Fair Grounds and
then crushed her rivals in the Silverbulletday S. (G3), winning the 1 1/16-mile
event in a faster time than Scipion two races later in the Risen Star. The
Bernie Flint-trained Runway Model, who sandwiched victories in the Alcibiades S.
(G2) and Golden Rod S. (G2) around a third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
(G1), will be making her seasonal debut.
In post parade order, the contestants for the Fair Grounds Oaks are SOUL
SEARCH (A.P. Indy), Albarado; Summerly, Bailey; ENDURING WILL (Arch), Velazquez;
CARLEA (Carson City), Eibar Coa; EYES ON EDDY (Touch Gold), Dominguez; and
Runway Model, Bejarano.
Hal’s Hope H. (G3) victor BADGE OF SILVER (Silver Deputy), who owns
three wins at Fair Grounds, including a 10-length triumph in the 2003 Risen
Star, returns to the Bayou for Frankel to face eight foes in the New Orleans.
His main rivals include Grade 2 hero POLLARD’S VISION (Carson City), Mineshaft
H. (G3) king WANDERIN BOY (Seeking the Gold) and Sunshine Millions Classic
winner MUSIQUE TOUJOURS (Musique d’Enfer).
COLONIAL COLONY (Pleasant Colony) drew the rail for the 1 1/8-mile New
Orleans and will carry a 116-pound impost, including Bejarano. To their outside
in the starting gate are FREEFOURINTERNET (Tabasco Cat), Blanc, 115; LIMEHOUSE
(Grand Slam), Dominguez, 115; Badge of Silver, Bailey, 118; Musique Toujours,
Stevens, 115; SECOND OF JUNE (Louis Quatorze), Coa, 115; Pollard’s Vision,
Velazquez, 120; Wanderin Boy, Melancon, 115; and ALUMNI HALL (A.P. Indy),
Albarado, 116.