Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher’s trio of successful
invaders — Grade 2 Louisiana Derby winner
Revolutionary, Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks heroine Unlimited Budget and Grade 2
New Orleans Handicap victor Graydar — all left New Orleans at 8:30 a.m. (EDT) Sunday morning for brief return
trips to South Florida before moving on to their respective Kentucky campaigns,
as did Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott’s Grade 2 Mervin Muniz Memorial Handicap
winner Amira’s Prince and Oaks second-place
finisher Flashy Gray.
That Louisiana Derby runner-up Mylute, New Orleans ‘Cap second-place finisher Mark Valeski
and Muniz Memorial runner-up Willcox Inn still in residence on the
backstretch and the connections of each with comments on their horses’ futures.
“We’re going to head right to Louisville,” trainer Tom Amoss said of Mylute right after attending Easter Sunday mass
on Sunday. “It’s safe to say that if Mylute has enough points to get
in the Derby he’s going to run in the Derby. I think that’s the
way the owners feel. The good news is that he’s healthy today.
“Our horse ran a huge race
yesterday and we’re very proud of him. He came out of the race just fine.”
Hilary Pridham, assistant to Willcox Inn’s trainer Mike Stidham, was equally proud of his performance.
“The real Willcox Inn showed up
once again yesterday,” Pridham stated. “He had a lot of doubters for awhile, but we never lost
faith in him. As for Ground Transport (fifth
in the Louisiana Derby), he’s fine, too. He’s just about three months behind
where he should be right now, but once he gets some experience, we’ll have a
real nice horse for the summer.”
Larry Jones, conditioner of Mark Valeski, was his usual
optimistic self, speaking with his familiar warm Western Kentucky drawl while
reflecting on his horse’s performance on an Easter Sunday morning.
“Mark gave it his all yesterday,” Jones remarked. “Running
second behind Graydar, we don’t have to hang our heads. He’s the real deal. We
beat Bourbon Courage and he’s a real nice horse, too.
Pam Fitzgerald, assistant to trainer Al Stall Jr., spoke about Louisiana
Derby third-place finisher Departing and
eighth-place runner Sunbean shortly after Stall had
left the barn area to take his youngsters on an Easter Egg hunt.
“They’re fine today,” she said of the pair that both suffered from
less-than-ideal trips Saturday. “Sunbean got absolutely slammed a couple of
times yesterday but he seems to be alright.”
Charlie Smith — owner, trainer and breeder of the
Louisiana-bred String King — third in the Muniz Memorial, was quite pleased with
his horse’s performance.
“I thought he ran a real nice race,” Smith said. “He did the (Louisiana)
breed ranks pretty proud yesterday.”
Saturday’s Louisiana Derby Day card at Fair Grounds — which featured seven stakes highlighted by the milestone 100th running of the Louisiana Derby
— produced record all-sources handle with a 16 percent increase
over the 2012 Louisiana Derby Day despite this year’s program having one fewer
race.
The first-ever Infield Festival on Louisiana Derby Day,
which attracted a few thousand fans more than recent Louisiana Derby Days thanks
to concerts and a gathering of food trucks and pop-up vendors, helped spur
on-track wagering to its second-highest total in history. The record for
on-track handle was set on last year’s Louisiana Derby Day, when an influx of
Univeristy of Kentucky and University of Louisville fans in town for the NCAA
Men’s Basketball Final Four swelled the ranks of experienced horse racing
bettors in New Orleans.
Saturday’s handle was also helped by a full gate of 14
three-year-olds for the featured Louisiana Derby, the race’s largest
field size in 51 years, as well as a return to national television coverage as
part of the “Road to the Triple Crown” series on NBC Sports Network.
“Our goal was to make the 100th Louisiana Derby the biggest
and best one ever seen and we definitely accomplished that,” Fair Grounds
President Tim Bryant said. “I’m very grateful to all of our fans — from the
grandstand regulars to the first-time Infield guests who came to see a great
live band — for helping to make this celebration so memorable.
“We’re already looking forward to staging an even better Infield Festival for
the 101st Louisiana Derby in 2014.”
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