Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm's Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) is in good shape following his victory in Saturday's GII Risen Star S. at the Fair Grounds, according to trainer Steve Asmussen.
G M B Racing's Mo Tom (Uncle Mo), winner of the GIII LeComte S. in NOLA Jan. 16, suffered a minor gash to his right front leg after being forced to check badly in the stretch. The bay rallied impressively to be a close third and is in fine form aside from the cut, according to trainer Tom Amoss, who also saddled Venus Valentine (Congrats) to a 74-1 upset in the GIII Rachel Alexandra S. Saturday.
“Both horses look good today,” Amoss reported. “[Mo Tom's wound] is a non factor. We are very fortunate.”
John Oxley's MGSW Airoforce (Colonel John) has returned to Florida after a disappointing effort as the 8-5 chalk in the Risen Star, finishing 10th of 11.
“He's fine and he flew back to Florida this morning,” conditioner Mark Casse said. “We're going to bring him home to Ocala and go over him some more and make sure we don't find anything. We will see how that goes and go from there.”
Never worse than second prior to the Risen Star, Airoforce following a debut win at Kentucky Downs last September with a victory in the turfy GIII Bourbon S. at Keeneland a month later and just missed when second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Oct. 30. The gray was trying dirt for the first time last out when capturing a sloppy renewal of Churchill's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 28, a race in which Mo Tom finished third and Gun Runner finished fourth.
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