Photo: CDI
Brereton Jones’s Mark Valeski,
one half of the favored Larry Jones-trained entry pegged at 2-1 for
Sunday’s 99th running of the $1 million Louisiana Derby, breezed five furlongs in
1:00.60 Tuesday morning at Fair Grounds in final
serious preparations in advance of the annual centerpiece event of the
New Orleans Thoroughbred racing season.
“It
was a very good morning for us (with Mark Valeski),” said the
Kentucky-born trainer shortly after the move. “I got splits of 12 and
three,
25 flat, 37 and two and 49 and one, and then got him galloping out in
1:13 and two. That means he did a 12 and two, another 12 and two, and
then two 11 and fours, so he got the last quarter in 23 and change.”
Track clockers recorded the same splits as Jones, although they caught the gallop out in 1:14.
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“I
like the way we’re coming into this race,” said Jones. “This has got us
in a situation that we like to be in. He didn’t work quite as fast
today as he did right before the Risen Star, but then again he went a
little faster than I wanted the last time (a bullet five-eighths in
59.40 March 20). Also, this horse is a little further along than he was
before the Risen Star.”
Fair Grounds’ defending jockey champion
Rosie Napravnik, already
assured of her second straight local title, was aboard Mark Valeski for
Tuesday’s morning move and will ride the colt Sunday in pursuit of her
second straight Louisiana Derby win.
“Mr. Bowling (the other half of the Brereton Jones-owned entry and winner of
Fair Grounds’ Grade III Lecomte Stakes
Jan. 21) worked yesterday (March 26 in 1:00.40),” said Jones, “so he just walked today. I like where we’re at with both horses.”
Seven-time Fair Grounds jockey champion
Robby Albarado will ride Mr. Bowling in Sunday’s highlight.