Saturday’s “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day” features four $250,000 stakes —
the Risen Star (G3),
Silverbulletday (G3),
Bayou Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) and
Duncan F. Kenner Breeders’ Cup H. — at the Fair Grounds at Louisiana Downs
meet. The unbeaten FRENCH PARK (Ecton Park), who will make her three-year-old
bow in the Silverbulletday, is one of the top draws on the program.
Trained by Helen Pitts, French Park broke her maiden by 12 1/4 lengths at
Keeneland and followed with a 1 3/4-length score in the one-mile Pocahontas S.
(G3) at Churchill Downs. She wrapped up her juvenile campaign with a smart win
in the 1 1/16-mile Golden Rod S. (G2), her first start around two turns. The
gray miss will face seven rivals in her return to the races, including SEEN
DANCING (Souvenir Copy), winner of the Gowell S. at Turfway Park last out; the
Todd Pletcher-trained CAPOZZENE (Capote), who is a stakes victress; and DEVINE
LAUGHTER (Saint Ballado), who exits an easy score over the track against
optional-claiming rivals.
The complete field for the 1 1/16-mile Silverbulletday, from the rail with
riders, is WILD TONIGHT (Wild Again), John Jacinto; CINTAROSA (Grand Slam),
Corey Lanerie; HOOCHIE GLIDE (High Yield), Terry Thompson; Seen Dancing, Luis
Quinonez; French Park, Calvin Borel; BAGHDARIA (Royal Academy), Clifton Berry;
Capozzene, Robby Albarado; and Devine Laughter, Roman Chapa.
French Park will carry 122 pounds, the rest 116.
In the 8 1/2-furlong Risen Star, the counterpart to the Silverbulletday,
SAINT AUGUSTUS (Saint Ballado) will challenge for favoritism. The Pletcher-trained
colt broke his maiden by 8 1/2 lengths, placed in the Storm Cat S. and then
broke through with a 2 1/2-length score in the What a Pleasure S. at Calder.
HYTE REGENCY (Diligence) is another top contender, winning a listed grass race
at Louisiana Downs prior to a good third behind Private Vow (Broken Vow) in the
Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) at Churchill Downs. MIDWAY MAN (Awesome Again)
enters off a five-length maiden score locally for Asmussen.
Recent maiden winner RED BORDEAUX (Gulch) will lead the post parade under
Carlos Gonzalez. Next comes MARK OF SUCCESS (Mt. Livermore), Borel; Hyte
Regency, Lanerie; LAWYER RON (Langfuhr), John McKee; MALAMEEZE (Saint Ballado),
Jacinto; Midway Man, Chapa; and Saint Augustus, Albarado.
Saint Augustus and Lawyer Ron will tote 118 pounds, the rest 116.
Eight distaffers will square off over 1 1/16 miles in the grassy Bayou
Breeders’ Cup, and the Christophe Clement-trained SNOWDROPS (GB) (Gulch) is the
119-pound highweight. The six-year-old mare exits a win in the My Charmer H.
(G3) at Calder and also captured the Suwannee River H. (G3) and Politely S. last
season. Stakes winners LENATAREESE (Broad Brush), VOZ DE COLEGIALA (Chi) (Sayaret)
and BLACK ROCK ROAD (Bertrando) are among her rivals in the eight-horse field.
Nine sprinters will contest the Duncan F. Kenner Breeders’ Cup, and the
eight-year-old BEAU’S TOWN (Beau Genius) will return off a lengthy vacation for
trainer Cole Norman in the six-furlong event. Winner of the Bing Crosby
Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) and Count Fleet Sprint H. (G3) in 2003, the classy veteran
will make his first appearance since finishing a close third in the 2004
Thanksgiving H. at Fair Grounds.
Norman also has a dangerous entry in TOP COMMANDER (Kingmambo) and GRAND BANK
(Dixieland Band), and Beverly Fowler will send out RODEO’S CASTLE (Rodeo), a
two-time stakes winner last year and second in the Thanksgiving H. most
recently.