Bret Jones's 'TDN Rising Star' Running Mate (Creative Cause), who tasted defeat for the first time in his career in the Dec. 17 Sugar Bowl S. at the Fair Grounds, is scheduled to stretch out to two turns for the first time in the Jan. 21 GIII Lecomte S. at the New Orleans oval, trainer Larry Jones confirmed Thursday. The dark bay returned to the worktab Thursday for the first time since his Sugar Bowl effort, drilling a half-mile in a best-of-41 :47.20 for a half-mile.
“That's our game plan,” Jones said, referring to the Lecomte. “He had a nice breeze and I think two turns is what the horse is wanting. We saw no reason to be discouraged from his effort and everything seems good so far, so we'll give it a try. We've been beaten before and come back and won.”
The six-length winner of his career debut over six furlongs at Delaware Oct. 5, Running Mate validated his Rising Star status with a 7 3/4-length thumping of an allowance/optional claimer Nov. 25. Sent off the 2-5 chalk in the Sugar Bowl, he raced handy to the pace, but weakened some in the final furlong to finish second and was ultimately demoted to third for interference in the lane.
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