Sunday, November 30, 2014

Barn Notes: Sunday, November 30

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Barn Notes:  Sunday, November 30, 2014                                                                                      

·        Amoss Reflects on Phenomenal 4-for-4 Saturday

·        Eramia Okay, Heads to Dallas for More X-Rays

·        Every Way Works Toward Return

 

 

AMOSS REFLECTS ON PHENOMENAL 4-FOR-4 SATURDAY

           

Ten-time leading Fair Grounds trainer Tom Amoss had a big day on Saturday afternoon at his home track, even for his standards.  Currently striking at an intense 57% rate with eight wins in his first 14 tries at the current 2014-15 meet, the New Orleans native and LSU graduate hit a grand slam with his quartet of entrants. 

 

“It was nice,” Amoss reflected.  “Days like that don’t happen very often.  When they do, you have to save it in your mind for the days that don’t go so well.”

 

Despite the sweetness of the day, it was not void of the bitter for Amoss.  His charge Sum of the Parts – a 5-year-old graded stakes-winning horse whose talent took Amoss to the Breeders’ Cup on three separate occasions – was claimed out of the feature race, an allowance optional claiming event, for $40,000. 

 

“The one thing I did do was visit Sum of the Parts in the test barn after the race,” Amoss said with no small degree of dolefulness.  “I’ve had him since he was a 2-year-old and he means a lot to me.  I told the owner that if it doesn’t work out with the horse, he has a home with me when he’s done racing.”

 

Sum of the Parts, who has earned $876,189 and won six stakes – including two editions of the Grade III Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland – was claimed by owner End Zone Athletics and trainer Karl Broberg.  He won Saturday’s feature wire-to-wire by a widening 3¾ lengths.  The son of Speightstown earned a 106 Equibase Speed Figure with his sharp time of 1:10.01 under James Graham, who was aboard all four of Amoss’ victors.  The win was a return to form for the muscular dark bay after six consecutive losses and came at the expense of stakes winners Tanzanite Cat, Visionary Ruler and Mighty Brown.

 

 

JOCKEY ERAMIA OKAY, HEADS TO DALLAS FOR MORE X-RAYS

 

            Jockey Richard Eramia is reportedly okay, but will be out a couple weeks after a mishap following the fourth race on Saturday when his mount – Shadwell Stable’s Atoof – spooked and dumped the journeyman on the gallop-out. 

 

            “He was on Danny Peitz’s filly and she ducked out when she spooked from something on the infield,” reported Rick Mocklin, Eramia’s agent.  “Peitz called me to inquire about him after and said that the filly had never turned a hair before; it was one of those freak things.”

 

            Eramia landed on his shoulder and immediately knew something was amiss, according to Mocklin, and subsequently had it X-rayed. 

 

“It was dislocated and they had to sedate him so that they could put it back into place,” Mocklin explained.  “He’s feeling much better today and is leaving to go to Dallas to see a doctor who treats some of the Dallas Cowboys to do more X-rays and determine what they can do to get him back as quickly as possible.  We’re hoping he can ride on Champions Day (Dec. 13). 

 

“It could have been a lot worse,” Mocklin continued.  “These jockeys amaze me with how they heal and come back in half the time a regular person does; they’re really the fittest people in the world.  I’m hoping we get some good news tomorrow and we should definitely know a lot more by Tuesday.”

           

Through Saturday’s card, Eramia has three wins so far in the meet to put him in a fifth-place tie with Marcelino Pedroza and Mitchell Murrill. 

 

 

EVERY WAY WORKS TOWARD RETURN

 

            Versatile graded stakes filly Every Way continued her journey toward a return to the races at the Fair Grounds after a four-furlong move in :49.20 on Thursday morning for trainer Mike Stidham, whose barn seems to be flush with quality fillies and mares this season.  Owned by Haynes Stables, Steven Perlick, Alan Herman and Richard Dunn, the daughter of City Zip was recently seen finishing a lackluster fifth in the Tranquility Lake Stakes at Del Mar over a Polytrack surface she did not relish. 

 

            Thursday’s move was the second since returning from a break that followed that Aug. 31 race.  On Nov. 20, she got back to work with flair when zipping a bullet three furlongs in :36 flat.  Previous to her Del Mar debacle, she ran a good fifth – beaten three lengths after a tough inside trip – in the Grade II John C. Mabee Stakes over Del Mar’s turf and was fourth beaten only a half-length by multiple graded stakes winner I’m Already Sexy in the Grade III Modesty Handicap at Arlington International Racecourse prior to that effort. 

 

            “She really wasn’t out that long,” Stidham explained.  “She’s always been sound and we gave her a little 60-day freshening.  She is one of those types who doesn’t lose a lot from being turned out.  She’s really come back and filled out a little bit.  We’re getting her ready to run at the Fair Grounds, hopefully.”

 

            In her 17-race career, the Kentucky-bred 4-year-old has finished in the top four in eight stakes, including four photo-finish losses and a fourth-place finish in the 2013 Grade III Rachel Alexandra Stakes behind Unlimited Budget.  In her non-stakes wins, she has beaten quality stock, including besting graded stakes winners La Tia and Via Villaggio in a tough allowance in May at Arlington.  She has won on dirt, turf and Polytrack in her career and earned $222,254 for her owners.

 

-END-

 




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