Circular Quay returns to New Orleans

Circular Quay is on a mission to recover his winning form (Fair Grounds Race Course/Lou Hodges Photo)

Grade 1 victor CIRCULAR QUAY (Thunder Gulch), who has not visited the

winner's circle since last year's Louisiana Derby (G2), returns to Fair Grounds

for Saturday's $500,000

New

Orleans H. (G2). One of five stakes events on the Louisiana Derby undercard,

the 1 1/8-mile contest has also attracted budding handicap star GRASSHOPPER

(Dixie Union).

Circular Quay will attempt to become just the fourth horse in history to

capture the Louisiana Derby and New Orleans in successive years, following in

the hoofsteps of Spanish Play (1931-32), Master Derby (1975-76) and Peace Rules

(2003-04). The Todd Pletcher charge has had his travails since his convincing

tally here one year ago. Sixth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and fifth in the

Preakness S. (G1), Circular Quay tried the turf unsuccessfully when sixth in the

Virginia Derby (G2) last July. Freshened thereafter, the diminutive chestnut

reappeared in the February 16 San Carlos H. (G2), but never threatened en route

to a fifth-place finish in the seven-furlong event at Santa Anita. Circular Quay

steps back up in trip, adds blinkers, and picks up Garrett Gomez in an attempt

to get back on track.

Long highly regarded by Neil Howard, Grasshopper gave Kentucky Derby hero

Street Sense a royal tussle in last year's Travers S. (G1) before grudgingly

giving way by a half-length. The dark bay made his 2008 debut in the Mineshaft

H. (G3), the final local prep for this affair, and posted a decisive, 2

1/2-length victory over SILVER LORD (Unbridled's Song), with MAGNA GRADUATE

(Honor Grades) another head back in third. Regular rider Robby Albarado will be

back aboard Grasshopper, who ranks as the 119-pound highweight.

Daytona's tactical speed has been honed into a razor-sharp weapon on the turf (Benoit Photo)

In the $500,000

Mervin H.

Muniz Jr. Memorial H. (G2) on the turf course, California invader DAYTONA

(Ire) (Indian Ridge) will try to extend his winning streak to five. His skein is

composed entirely of graded stakes, including the Hollywood Derby (G1) and the

Fair Grounds H. (G3) at this about 1 1/8-mile trip last time out. The Dan

Hendricks charge will shoulder the top weight of 121 pounds, and the front

runner will break from the far outside, post 10, with Alex Solis.

Among his nine rivals are Grade 2 winner BRILLIANT (War Chant), who is

returning from a seven-month layoff for Howard; BUFFALO MAN (El Prado [Ire]) and

ELUSIVE FORT (SAf) (Fort Wood), the top two finishers, respectively, from the

Appleton H. (G3) at Gulfstream; the Bobby Frankel-trained PROUDINSKY (Ger) (Silvano

[Ger]), who was last seen finishing second to Daytona in the San Gabriel H.

(G2); and Pletcher's TWILIGHT METEOR (Smart Strike).

The undefeated EUROEARS (Langfuhr) will face his stiffest test to date in the

$200,000

Duncan F. Kenner S., a six-furlong sprint on the main track. Five-for-five

so far, including the F.W. Gaudin Memorial S. at this track and distance two

back, the Bret Calhoun pupil has been assigned the co-top weight of 121 pounds.

Also toting that burden is Asmussen's NOONMARK (Unbridled's Song), who most

recently captured the Mr. Prospector H. (G3) at Gulfstream. The Kenner could mark the

reappearance of multiple Grade 2 winner KING OF THE ROXY (Littleexpectations),

who has not raced since his seventh in the King's Bishop S. (G1) at Saratoga for

Pletcher. He's cross-entered to Saturday's Richter Scale S. (G2) at Gulfstream. The multiple Grade 3-placed LES GRANDS TROIS (Officer),

who exits a respectable fifth in the Malibu S. (G1), will represent the Frankel

barn, and SEMAPHORE MAN (Formal Gold) is coming off a successful title defense in

the King Cotton S. at Oaklawn Park.