Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Stakes Advance: Ramsey-Owned Duo Tops Friday's Woodchopper, Louisiana Derby Winner Hero of Order 20-1 On Morning Line

1751 Gentilly Blvd.,   New Orleans, LA 70119   www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact: Jim Mulvihill, Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager, 504.948.1233, james.mulvihill@fgno.com

Contact: Graham Ross, Staff Writer, 504.948.1255, graham.ross@fgno.com

 

ramsey-owned duo tops fG’S woodchopper

 

Louisiana Derby Winner Hero of Order Returns to FG

 

By Graham Ross, Staff Writer

 

NEW ORLEANS (Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012) – The Ken and Sarah Ramsey-owned entry of Coalport and Gung Ho, trained respectively by Wayne Catalano and Mike Maker, has been pegged the lukewarm 3-1 morning line choice in Friday’s 27th running of the $75,000 Woodchopper Stakes – restricted to sophomores at about one mile over Fair Grounds’ Stall-Wilson turf course.

 

The Woodchopper is the featured event of Friday’s 11-race program – second day of racing at the Crescent City oval’s 2012-2013 meeting.

 

Coalport returns to competition after a layoff of more than six months. In his last trip to the post he finished sixth in the Grade II American Turf on Kentucky Oaks Day May 4. Before that the son of Kitten’s Joy won a first-level allowance race at Keeneland April 13.

 

Entrymate Gung Ho, also an entire son of Kitten’s Joy, comes into the Woodchopper off a runner-up finish in more advanced allowance company at Keeneland Oct. 13. Before that he was fourth in Woodbine’s $150,000 Ontario Derby Sept. 16

 

Gung Ho gets the riding services of jockey Rosie Napravnik, leading rider at Fair Grounds for its last two winter meetings, while Coalport has John Jacinto named to handle the reins.

 

Expected to provide strong competition for the Ramsey coupling – and installed at 4-1 in the early line – is Sam-Son Farm’s Aldous Snow, a sophomore son of Theatrical who finished eighth in the Grade III Hawthorne Derby in his last start Oct. 13. Before that the Malcolm Pierce trainee had back-to-back runner-up runs in Woodbine’s $125,000 Halton and $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes last summer at the Canadian oval. Ed Da Silva is slated for the saddle.

 

Not to be easily overlooked in the Woodchopper is Terry Hamilton’s Hammers Terror, a Mike Stidham trainee who finished eighth in Woodbine’s Grade I Neartic Stakes Oct. 14 but won Canterbury’s $100,000 Mystical Derby last July. Jockey James Graham is listed on the 9-2 entrant.

 

Dismissed in the Woodchopper morning line at 20-1 is Raut LLC’s Hero of Order, who lit up the tote board with a $220 win price in last spring’s Grade II Louisiana Derby over Fair Grounds’ main track. Raut LLC’s Macho Bull is coupled in the wagering with Hero of Order and both horses have jockey Billy Williams named in the irons.

 

Completing the field for the Woodchopper is Don Ebert’s Pure Tactics, Colby Hernandez; Danny Keene’s Sommer’s Choice, Jansen Melancon; Danny Pish’s Quiet Acceleration, Iram Diego; Diamond Racing et al.’s Adios Nardo, Richard Eramia; Adele Dilschneider’s Unlatch, Jamie Theriot; and Fletcher and Carolyn Gray’s Icon Ike, Mark Guidry.

 

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the nation’s third-oldest racetrack, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 10 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 141st Thoroughbred Racing Season runs Thanksgiving Day, November 22, through March 31, 2013, highlighted by the milestone 100th running of the $1 million Louisiana Derby for Kentucky Derby hopefuls on March 30, 2013. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.

 

-FG-

 

 

___ 
 
James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA  70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]

141st Thoroughbred Racing Season Opens Nov. 22
100th Louisiana Derby March 30, 2013

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