The
$60,000
Mr. Sulu was moved to a high-profile spot on Opening Day because it
traditionally attracts a large and competitive field of quality turf
runners. That form held true again this year, as 11 older
Louisiana-breds entered, six of which are Fair Grounds stakes
winners.
Three-year-old
Populist Politics, third in the Grade II Super Derby at Louisiana Downs, will likely vie for favoritism with
Snakebite Kit, who was
six-for-nine as a 4-year-old but hasn’t raced since winning the $100,000
Louisiana Champions Day Turf here last December. Although off for
nearly a year, Snakebite Kit has fired off a series
of bullet workouts in the mornings for trainer
Eddie Johnston.
Other
rich Louisiana-breds to consider, both with past success over the Stall-Wilson turf course, include
Kissimmee Kyle, winner of the 5 ½-furlong Bayou St. John Stakes here in March last time out, and
Tensas Cat, the 2010 Gentilly Stakes winner going two turns as a 3-year-old.
Here’s
the full field, from the rail out (with jockeys and trainers):
Blackntansatlarrys (Richard Eramia, Morris Nicks), Kissimmee Kyle
(Robby Albarado, Al Stall Jr.), Productive Envoy (Miguel Mena, Tony Richey),
Royal and Flashy (Kerwin Clark, Sam Breaux),
Ide Like a Double (Jermaine Bridgmohan, Sturges Ducoing), Tensas Cat (John Jacinto, Steve Garber),
Snakebite Kit (Rosie Napravnik, Eddie Johnston),
Expressiano (Tracy Hebert, Allen Landry),
One Pretty Penny (Gerard Melancon, Scott Gelner), Classy Deelites (Jamie Theriot, Donald Moran Sr.) and
Populist Politics (James Graham, Tom Amoss).
The one-mile
Mr. Sulu will be run as Race 8 at 2:40 p.m. CST.