Sutherland better off on grass

Horse racing goes in cycles. We all find that out. Your bankroll swells brazenly – until you hit a cold streak. A trainer goes 27 for 86, a 30 percent strike rate, from the Nov. 18 start of the Fair Grounds meet through Feb. 1, but is just 5 for 40 since.

Those are the splits for the Bret Calhoun barn. Things always eventually turn back around, and Calhoun has two solid chances to capture the featured seventh race Thursday at Fair Grounds.

The weather forecast looks favorable for the second-level allowance, also open to $50,000 claimers, at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf. As has been the case since grass racing on a damaged

course belatedly began in late December, only eight can run with the temporary turf rail set at 34 feet.

Therideofalifetime and Sutherland walk over to the paddock from Calhoun’s stable. Both are listed at morning-line odds of 4-1, but 5-year-old Therideofalifetime, who is entered under the race’s claiming option, is at a much different point in his career than 4-yearold Sutherland.

“Therideofaliftime, he’s obviously more accomplished, proven on dirt and grass,” Calhoun said. “I entered him in a dirt race that didn’t go, so he’s in here. Sutherland, he’s an up-and-comer. He’s going places but not quite as accomplished.”

The place Sutherland is going that might be most important is back to turf.

Sutherland won a first-level dirt sprint allowance race three starts back, was a close second stretching out to two turns in the Woodchopper Stakes, also on dirt, and most recently set the pace and faded to third racing over a deep, loose surface in a second-level Fair Grounds sprint allowance. In five grass sprints, the most recent a second-place finish last October at Keeneland, Sutherland is 1-3-1.

“He probably is a much better horse on the grass,” said Calhoun. “I think his last race, he was just getting sick of the dirt.”

On Your Mark, another horse entered for the claiming tag, is 1-1-0 from two Fair Grounds grass starts and fits this spot. Minnesota Ready and Fortuity have grass form in longer races that hints they might enjoy a turf sprint. Rail-drawn Sky and Sand has been working fast for his first start since a solid Kentucky Downs showing in September at about this level. Trainer Steve Asmussen said Sky and Sand “has ability,” but Asmussen isn’t thrilled with post 1 over a course that generally has favored outside lanes.