Pin Oak Stable's Synchrony, a two-length winner over Mr. Misunderstood in the Feb. 17 Fair Grounds Handicap (G3T), is back for more in the nine-furlong Muniz Memorial Handicap (G2T). The Muniz is one of several top-level stakes on TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) day at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
The homebred for Josephine Abercrombi rallied from tenth in the Fair Grounds Handicap in his first start under veteran jockey Joe Bravo. Trainer Michael Stidham has again named Bravo to ride. The 5-year-old Tapit horse—out of grade 1-placed Brownie Points—will carry 118 pounds and seeks to be three-for-three over the turf course.
Synchrony started off his career with trainer Donnie Von Hemel, for whom he raced on the main track. He was a two-time winner on dirt and was third in the 2016 Lexington Stakes (G3) behind future grade 1 winner Collected. The following year, he moved to the care of Stidham, who switched him to the turf in his second start for the trainer. Since the surface change, Synchrony has never been worse than second in four starts.
Staton Flurry's Mr. Misunderstood also rallied from the back of the pack in the Fair Grounds Handicap as the 6-5 favorite. Closer to the pace, the 4-year-old Archarcharch gelding was an easy winner of the Dec. 30 Woodchopper Stakes at Fair Grounds. Familiarity is a key here as he's a three-time winner over the turf course in four tries.
Seeking to spoil the local party is Juddmonte Farms' Forge, a Bill Mott-trained son of Dubawi. Off a four-month layoff he was a sharp second to champion World Approval in the Feb. 10 Tampa Bay Stakes (G3T).
Another showing some class off a layoff is Arklow, a grade 2 winner on turf last year at 3. The son of Arch rallied to score a nose win over allowance optional claiming race company Feb. 24 going 1 1/16-miles over the local layout.
Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey ships Phipps Stable's Revved Up for a run in New Orleans. By Candy Ride out of champion Storm Flag Flying, Revved Up tuned up for a 2018 campaign with a sixth-place finish—beaten 2 3/4 lengths—in the Feb. 10 Gulfstream Park Turf Stakes (G1T) at the Muniz trip.
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, March 24, 2018, Race 9Entries: Muniz Memorial H. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Synchrony (KY) Joe Bravo 118 Michael Stidham 7/2 2 2Zulu Alpha (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 115 Neil J. Howard 30/1 3 3Galton (KY) Joel Rosario 115 Michael J. Maker 20/1 4 4Arklow (KY) Javier Castellano 116 Brad H. Cox 10/1 5 5Danish Dynaformer (ON) Rafael Manuel Hernandez 116 Roger L. Attfield 8/1 6 6Lucullan (KY) Gary L. Stevens 115 Kiaran P. McLaughlin 8/1 7 7One Mean Man (KY) Marcelino Pedroza 115 Bernard S. Flint 30/1 8 8Mr. Misunderstood (KY) Florent Geroux 118 Brad H. Cox 5/1 9 9Forge (GB) John R. Velazquez 116 William I. Mott 9/2 10 10Revved Up (KY) Shaun Bridgmohan 117 Claude R. McGaughey III 6/1 11 11Ring Weekend (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 118 H. Graham Motion 5/1
