PYRO (Pulpit), who rolled to a three-length victory in Saturday’s Louisiana
Derby (G2), has exited his triumph in good order, according to assistant trainer
Evan Downing.
“He’s doing wonderful,” Downing said during training hours on Sunday. “He’s
perfect this morning.”
Trainer Steve Asmussen has mapped out Pyro’s next sequence of steps on the
road to the Kentucky Derby (G1). The dark bay will likely work one more time at
Fair Grounds before shipping to Kentucky. His next start is expected to come in
the April 12 Blue Grass S. (G1) over Keeneland’s Polytrack.
Louisiana Derby runner-up MY PAL CHARLIE (Indian Charlie), who outran his
nearly 61-1 odds, also came out of his effort in fine fettle. The Al Stall Jr.
pupil will likely go off at much shorter odds next time, but his future target
has yet to be determined.
“That was a lot of fun yesterday, and I like the way he looks this morning,”
Stall said on Sunday. “That race yesterday was very exciting. When (My Pal
Charlie) started to open up in midstretch my heart starting pumping, and my
blood pressure went way up. I thought they might have to get the paddles out to
keep me going.”
A native New Orleanian, Stall was finishing second in the Louisiana Derby for
the second straight year. In 2007, he sent out Ketchikan (Mr. Greeley) to garner
runner-up honors to CIRCULAR QUAY (Thunder Gulch).
On Saturday, Circular Quay returned to Fair Grounds to capture the New
Orleans H. (G2) after a thrilling stretch duel with Grasshopper (Dixie Union).
“Circular Quay came out of his race really well,” said Ginny DePasquale,
assistant to four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher. “In fact,
all our horses came back really well.”
Plans call for Circular Quay to ship back to his California base on Tuesday.
Likewise bright-eyed on Sunday was PROUD SPELL (Proud Citizen), who turned
the tables on champion Indian Blessing (Indian Charlie) in Saturday’s Fair
Grounds Oaks (G2).
“Yesterday was a good day,” conditioner Larry Jones said. “We feel our filly
is getting better all the time. She was a late May foal, so she’s really just
now coming to hand. After (her second to Indian Blessing in) the Silverbulletday
(S. [G3]) last month, our filly came out of the race pretty tired, but this
morning she’s acting like she hasn’t done anything.”