Steve Mongerson's Smalltown Slew, a close second in the opening day Thanksgiving Handicap, is the tepid 7-2 morning line choice over a full field for the inaugural running of the $75,000 Bonapaw Stakes Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course.
The Bonapaw, to be contested at about 5 1/2 furlongs over the Stall-Wilson turf course, is for 3-year-olds and up and is named for the locally based grade I winning sprinter.
In the Thanksgiving, Smalltown Slew was bumped at the start, raced five wide most of the way, and could not catch the front-running Cort's P.B., but was easily second best. In his previous start, the 5-year-old son of Evansville Slew was second over Keeneland's Polytrack course Oct. 14, and before that was runner-up in Turfway's $72,000 Marfa Stakes Sept. 16.
John Pierce II's Mystery Classic, an invader from the Lone Star State, is the 4-1 second choice in the Bonapaw. The sophomore gelding has won his last six starts, most recently by 1 3/4 lengths in the $50,000 Spirit of Texas Stakes Dec. 2 at Sam Houston. Before that, he captured Retama's $40,000 Watson McManus Memorial Stakes by five lengths Oct. 14.
Contenders Storm Surge and Big Top Cat are both owned by Overbrook Farm. Believe Im Special is on the also-eligible list.
| Fair Grounds - December 23rd, 2006 - Race 9 Bonapaw S. - Grade: Estimated Local Post Time: 4:06 PM | ||||||
| Race Type: Stakes Breed: Thoroughbred Age Restriction: Three Year Old and Upward | Purse: $75,000 Distance:About About Five And One Half Furlongs Surface: Turf | |||||
| Post | Horse Name | Age | Sex | Weight | Jockey Name | |
| 1 | Mystery Classic (TX) | 3 | Gelding | 116 | Bobby J. Walker, Jr. | |
| 2 | Smalltown Slew (MS) | 5 | Gelding | 118 | Corey J. Lanerie | |
| 3 | Chosen Chief (KY) | 7 | Gelding | 118 | Robby Albarado | |
| 4 | Middleweight (KY) | 6 | Gelding | 118 | Lonnie Meche | |
| 5 | Gaff (KY) | 4 | Colt | 118 | Donnie J. Meche | |
| 6 | Storm Surge (KY) | 4 | Colt | 118 | Carlos Gonzalez | |
| 7 | Monkey Hill (CA) | 5 | Horse | 118 | Joseph Talamo | |
| 8 | All Wired Up (LA) | 4 | Colt | 118 | Marlon St. Julien | |
| 9 | Big Top Cat (KY) | 4 | Colt | 118 | James Graham | |
| 10 | Rodeo's Castle (FL) | 5 | Gelding | 118 | Jesse M. Campbell | |
| 11 | Venomous (TX) | 4 | Colt | 118 | Elvis Joseph Perrodin | |
| 12 | Shrewd Deputy (KY) | 5 | Horse | 118 | Cody Meche | |
| AE | Believe Im Special (LA) | 7 | Gelding | 118 | Gerard Melancon | |
