New Orleans Handicap (Grade 2)- $400.000 Purse
FG- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
March 20, 2021

It’s a big day at FG this Saturday, and on the lead up to the LA Derby we will have the 15th running of the New Orleans Handicap, which sends older horses nine furlongs along the main track. It is a race that was kind to Maxmillion Farm last year, as the trainer pulled off a 1-2 finish with A Storm Has Arrived and Gran Z. One of them will be back this year, as A Storm Has Arrived will have the opportunity to go back to back, and he will be Maxmillion’s only entry in the event. Other past winners include Barbarino, Mordred, Nile Warrior, and Grandeur. Let’s look at our full field of twelve for the race!

#1- Hang Around (Nakamura Stables, ridden by S Ryan)- Acquired by the trainer in the September 2020 auction for $121.010, after he pulled off back to back wins at SAR in NY-bred races. Nakamura tried a couple of grade three’s after obtaining him, but the gelding failed to hit the board in either. Now, fresh off an optional claiming win, he’ll get another chance to score a big win.

#2- Class Edge (Chili King Stables, ridden by L Saez)- A horse that was talked about alot at this time last year, as he pulled off consecutive wins in the Rebel and the BG Stakes in March and April. He followed that up by running second in the KYD, but it had been nothing but struggles since then for him. In his last start, that changed, as he won the Grade 3 Mineshaft right here last month. Maybe he’ll return to that springtime form of last year.

#3- Torque Converter (Nakamura Stables, ridden by T J Pereira)- The second of three horses that Nakamura will have in this race, and Torque Converter got up close and personal with Class Edge here in his last race, placing second to him in the Mineshaft, beaten by a nose. He was gaining on him in the stretch, so maybe a little more time here is all he needs to beat that one. As for beating everyone else, it could happen as he does a good job being near the front at the end.

#4- A Storm Has Arrived (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by D Davis)- As mentioned, A Storm Has Arrived was the winner of the New Orleans Handicap here last year, and since then he has made five starts. He’s one won of them, which was his last start, an open allowance. The others were graded stake appearances, and he did a solid job in them, with the highlight being a second place showing in the Grade 1 Gold Cup. He will carry 121 pounds in this race, making him the high weight, but the weights in general are very close here.

#5- First Class Male (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by Mar Garcia)- Our next three runners in the starting gate have over 100 combined races between them and they call come out of the same race. First Class Male makes his 31st start here, and the six year old gelding is coming off a second place showing at a rare main track start in the RBC Handicap, a Grade 3. Since that well, why not try it again, so he’ll stay away from the grass and hope to do one position better.

#6- Champion In Action (Night Rider Stables, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- This champion has been in action a total of 36 times and hopes for his ninth win. There was a time late last year where we might have been wondering if the six year old gelding was nearing the end of his career, but starting in November, he rediscovered his form, and would earn a graded win in the LA Stakes here in January. Ran in the RBC Handicap last month at OP, and was fifth, but within a length,

#7- Eclipse My Knowledge (Nakamura Stables, ridden by V R Carrasco)- Another six year old gelding that comes out of the RBC Handicap, but that is not a race that the trainer wants to remember, as he finished dead last. It was a head scratcher, as in the race prior, he was second in a photo to Champion In Action at the LA Stakes. This will be his 36th career start, and he is looking for his tenth win. You have to wonder about his style and the new engine a little, especially off of the RBC.

#8- Remson (John Henry, ridden by J R Velazquez)- During this race weekend last year, Remson picked up a huge win, taking the Grade 3 SUN Derby, and earning his way into the KYD. That has been the last time we have seen him in the winners circle, or in an exacta. He was in the middle of the field in the KYD and BEL, and has passed through a couple trainers. Was third in an optional claimer last month at SA.

#9- Ice Wall (RNP Stables, ridden by K Carmouche)- He fits right in there with A Storm Has Arrived, First Class Male, and Eclipse My Knowledge as one of those older veterans. For Ice Wall, this is career start #35, and he is looking for his ninth win. He also comes out of the RBC Handicap, and ran sixth. He has better efforts a little further back, such as running third in the Pegasus World Cup and second in the BC Dirt Mile. It’s been eleven months since his last win, however.

#10- Fortaleza (Mb Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- Proved to be a very good claim by Mb Stables last March, one that led to a second place run in the Queens Plate last June. He has not really built on that, though, as he ran ninth in the Travers, and afterwards Mb Stables seemed to back off his placement a little bit. That did not result in a win, and in his last race he was second in an optional claimer at TAM.

#11- Hollywood Revolution (Patterson Stables, ridden by J Alvarado)- He’s not one of our six year old geldings with 30-plus starts, but like them, he comes out of the RBC Handicap. He fared well in that race, placing third. He’s proven to be quite an auction purchase, being picked up for just $10.000 last December, and he made his return to the graded ranks for the first time in over a year just two weeks after.

#12- Ranking Official (Allinthegate, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- Drawing the outside post is this four year old by Z Jinxed One that has done pretty much everything other than win a graded race so far. He was strong early in his career, but more recently did win the $150.000 Albany for NY-breds at the Spa. In his last race, he was second in an optional claimer at SA. By the way, top three in that optional claimer? Hang Around, Remson, and Ranking Official. All race here.

Prediction: 6-1-9-2

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES