Fair Grounds’ upcoming Grade III
Mineshaft Handicap on Louisiana Derby Preview Day Feb. 20
is shaping up as one of the most anticipated races of the season – no matter
who ships in from out of town.
That’s because it appears that last
year’s Grade II Louisiana Derby winner Friesan Fire and last year’s
Grade I Blue Grass hero General Quarters are headed for a second battle
in New Orleans
at the Crescent
City
oval.
Friesan Fire, owned by Vinery Stables
and Fox Hill Farm, and General Quarters, owned and trained by Tom McCarthy,
faced off for the first time in last year’s Kentucky Derby, again in last
spring’s Preakness and then for a third time this winter in Fair Grounds’
Louisiana Handicap Jan. 23. In that recent local duel they finished first and
second, respectively, a length-and-three-quarters apart.
However, Friesan Fire was nominated to
Gulfstream’s Donn Handicap Feb. 6, but since his connections passed on shipping
to South Florida in favor of a graded stakes just steps away from Friesan
Fire’s stall, and since Tom McCarthy shipped his one-horse stable of General
Quarters from Louisville before the season began with the long range goal of
the Grade II New Orleans Handicap March 27, their second local duel in
the Mineshaft appears imminent.
“I’m kind of glad we’re meeting up
again,” said McCarthy on Super Bowl Sunday, the day after General Quarters
breezed a half in 49.60. “It looks like it’s going to be the kind of race the
public can get excited about. They might really enjoy it, and there will also
be a lot of other good horses in there.
“The work yesterday (Saturday) was just
a maintenance move,” said McCarthy of General Quarters’ breeze. “We got
just what we wanted. Robert Mayo was aboard for the move. It’s possible
we will work him again next Saturday (Feb. 13), because he gets so aggressive
sometimes he might hurt himself if we don’t.”
Giant Oak Gets Six-Furlong Breeze in
Mineshaft Move Monday
Virginia Tarra Trust’s Giant Oak,
fourth beaten a length-and-a-quarter in his last trip to the post in
Churchill’s Grade II Clark Handicap but winner of the Arlington Classic last
spring, is another locally-based 4-year-old capable of upsetting Friesan Fire
and General Quarters in the upcoming Grade III Mineshaft Handicap Feb. 20
With that next goal in mind, Giant Oak’s
connections breezed the Giant’s
Causeway colt three-quarters in 1:15 flat Monday
morning with leading rider James Graham in the irons.
“The work couldn’t have gone any better,”
said trainer Neil Pessin. “He got the last quarter in 24.”
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