An evenly matched field of 10 is expected to go postward in the $200,000 Fair Grounds Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIIT) Feb. 10, going 1 1/8 miles on the turf.
The field is led by the Jeff Trosclair-trained Fort Prado, who won the race last year by a neck when it was contested at Louisiana Downs due to damage at the New Orleans oval following Hurricane Katrina. Jockey Robby Albarado, who was also aboard the son of El Pradoin 2006 edition, again has the mount. The pair is listed at 3-1 on the morning line.
Racing for Team Block, Fort Prado enters the race off a second-place effort, beaten a head, in the Jan. 13 Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap. In 2005, Fort Prado finished second, beaten three quarters of a length, in the E.R. Bradley before rebounding to win the Fair Grounds Breeders' Cup Handicap.
David Block bred Fort Prado in Illinois from the Fortunate Prospect mare Fort Pond. The 6-year-old has a career record of 12-5-3 from 28 career starts. He has earned $718,354.
Also expected to make waves in the field is Purim, who is cross-entered in the Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III), going 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
Purim gets the services of jockey Jesus Castanon with the pair listed at 4-1 on the morning line.
Trained by Thomas Proctor, the son of Dynaformerout of the Lord at War mare Kirsteena, enters the race with a win over Fort Prado in the Colonel E. R. Bradley.
The field for the $200,000 1 1/8-mile Fair Grounds Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIIT) includes:
1-- Bureaucratic (Jesse Campbell, 113, 15-1)
2-- Trandsuction Gold (James Graham, 113, 12-1)
3-- Cloudy's Knight (Ramsey Zimmerman, 115, 12-1)
4-- Fort Prado (Robby Albarado, 118, 3-1)
5-- Storm Treasure (John Velazquez, 115, 10-1)
6-- Purim (Jesus Castanon, 117, 4-1)
7-- Northern Scene (Joseph Talamo, 115, 12-1)
8-- Host (Jamie Theriot, 114, 6-1)
9-- The Carbon Unit (Brian Hernandez Jr., 113, 15-1)
10-- Devilment (Lonnie Meche, 117, 9-2)
