Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Mr. Misunderstood on a roll
Mr. Misunderstood will attempt to put an exclamation point on an outstanding year Saturday when he shoots for his fifth consecutive stakes score in the $75,000 Woodchopper at Fair Grounds. And while Mr. Misunderstood has never been beaten on turf in seven starts on the surface and boasts a 2-for-2 record over the local course, his task is not a simple one.
The about one-mile turf race for 3-year-olds drew a field of 14.
“It’s a very deep field, probably the toughest field he’s faced this year,” said Brad Cox, who trains Mr. Misunderstood for Flurry Racing Stables.
The Woodchopper drew nine stakes winners, including Big Bend, who is coming off a victory in the Grade 3 Sycamore at Keeneland; Cowboy Culture, winner of the Grade 3 Arlington Classic in May at Arlington Park; and Cedartown, the Zia Derby winner who has never run on turf.
Also on Saturday’s card, multiple Grade 2 winner Farrell headlines the $75,000 Pago Hop, which will be run at about a mile on turf. The Pago Hop, for 3-year-olds fillies, also drew a full field of 14.
Mr. Misunderstood has had a 3-year-old season to remember. The son of Archarcharch has won six of seven starts and earned $324,900, with his lone loss coming on dirt in the Grade 3 Illinois Derby in April at Hawthorne.
“He’s come a long way,” Cox said. “He’s a horse we thought a lot of early on. His 2-year-old year was a little frustrating. We thought a little more of him than he showed. We were kind of wanting him to be a dirt horse – the owner is from Oaklawn, Hot Springs – and he just kind of found his way on the grass. He’s been ultraconsistent on the grass. Loves it. He’s been very good to us.”
Mr. Misunderstood’s winning streak started at Louisiana Downs with the $60,000 Prelude and the $186,000 Super Derby – both moved to turf for 2017. Mr. Misunderstood then returned to his Churchill base and won both the $100,000 Jefferson Cup in September and the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf in his most recent start Nov. 11.
Mr. Misunderstood has since settled in at Fair Grounds, where last meet he won a pair of overnight races at the Woodchopper distance. The forecast for Saturday is for a 20 percent chance of rain, and that is not a concern, Cox said.
“He handled the turf really well at Churchill this fall and it had a little give to it,” Cox said. “Right now at Fair Grounds, we’ve had some wet weather and some gloomy weather, and if it comes up with a little juice in the ground, that would be okay.”
Florent Geroux is scheduled to ride from post 5. Geroux had taken off his mounts Thursday and Friday.
Big Bend is looking for his fourth straight win and third consecutive stakes victory. His streak started in an overnight race in July at Delaware Park and continued in the $350,000 Dueling Grounds Derby in September at Kentucky Downs and the Grade 3 Sycamore in his last start Oct. 19, when he defeated older horses at Keeneland.
Big Bend’s three recent races have come at marathon distances, and he will be cutting back Saturday from a mile and a half. Robby Albarado has the mount for Union Rags Racing and trainer Tom Proctor.
Cedartown has the breeding to take to turf. His dam, Talkin and Singing, is a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Better Talk Now.
Farrell is back at Fair Grounds, where she made a splash last meet for Coffeepot Stables and trainer Wayne Catalano, winning the Silverbulletday, the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra, and the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks.
“It was a great year,” Catalano said.
The Pago Hop would mark Farrell’s turf debut, but she is not certain to run, Catalano said Thursday.
“We’re leaning mostly not to run,” he said. “We were hoping for a fast turf course. You never know. We entered seven, eight days out, not knowing what might happen. We had to be in there. You can always scratch.”
Catalano said one of the reasons Farrell was entered was because the race could be moved to dirt. She also would get one last shot with straight 3-year-olds after defeating older rivals last out in the Grade 2 Chilukki at Churchill. Channing Hill has the mount from post 11.