"You never know with horses that get hurt like that because sometimes they lose a step without it being obvious in training," said owner-trainer John Griggs. "I can't get my expectations too high, but he's training well. I think Tres Touche is a fairly solid horse and we know Darn Tipalarm is a dangerous horse when he runs his race."Aside from Ann and Henry Stern's Darn Tipalarm, the filed includes Brown Lad, How Goes, and Cold Cat.
The National Steeplechase Association season kicks off Sunday, when Little Everglades Steeplechase near Dade City, Fla., hosts a five-race card. The season had been expected to begin Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs but a lack of entries forced the cancellation of the scheduled race.Sunday's feature is the $40,000 Little Everglades Stakes. Contrarian Stable's Tres Touche will carry top weight of 158 pounds as he makes his first start out of the novice ranks.Electron will be making his first start back since breaking a pastern bone last year, an injury that required the surgical insertion of three screws.