Howard Hopes Rising Star Lou Brissie Mirrors Summer Squall

Jun 26, 2010 Gary Yunt

HOWARD HOPES LOU BRISSIE FOLLOWS IN SUMMER SQUALL’S HOOFPRINTS – Trainer Neil Howard has traveled this road before, and he hopes the journey with Dogwood Stable’s Lou Brissie is every bit as good as the trip he had with Summer Squall from 1989-91.

Lou Brissie figures to be one of the prime players in next Saturday’s $100,000-added Bashford Manor Stakes (Grade III), a race Summer Squall won in 1989.

Summer Squall had broken his maiden at first asking at Keeneland and then won the Kentucky Budweiser Breeders’ Cup (now the Kentucky Juvenile) prior to the Bashford Manor. Lou Brissie has done the same, winning in his debut at Keeneland and coming back to win Kentucky Juvenile (GIII).

“They are both genuine horses,” said Howard, who will have Corey Lanerie ride Lou Brissie in the Bashford Manor.

“Summer Squall was really precocious, had speed and he was able to carry it in classic distances, which is a rarity,” Howard said of the 1990 Preakness (GI) winner. “This horse has no speed. He is more mature in his running style, which is not a bad thing for further down the road.”

Lou Brissie is a son of Limehouse, another Dogwood-owned runner who won the 2003 Bashford Manor and finished fourth to Smarty Jones in the 2004 Kentucky Derby.  Since winning the Kentucky Juvenile on April 30, Lou Brissie has had seven works.

“It never hurts to have a break (from racing) with 2-year-olds when they are still developing and growing,” Howard said. “On the other hand, you can run the risk of bad weather to interrupt your training. So far, his training has stayed intact and everything is going smooth with him.”

LANERIE ENJOYING ANOTHER SOLID MEET – Journeyman rider Corey Lanerie enjoyed his best meet at Churchill Downs last spring with 35 winners and going into the final six days of the 2010 Spring Meet, the 35-year-old native of Lafayette, La., is on track to better that figure with 32 victories thus far.

“It has been a very satisfying meet,” said Lanerie, who is second to Calvin Borel in the race for leading rider. “I had 35 last year and this year, I’ll take whatever number they give me.”

Lanerie is winning at a 16 percent clip and has an in-the-money percentage of 50, both career highs for a Spring Meet at Churchill Downs. This is the closest Lanerie has come to leading rider honors, with his previous highest finish in the standings being a tie for fifth in 2005.

While many of the leading riders here are headed to Saratoga for the summer, Lanerie will remain in Kentucky.

“I am going to stay here and ride at Ellis Park,” Lanerie said of the meet that begins at the Henderson track on July 10.

A Saratoga sojourn is not in the foreseeable future for Lanerie.

'“I might go later on if the right opportunity comes along,” Lanerie said.

CHURCHILL DOWNS HORSES STRIKE GOLD IN IOWA – Majesticperfection, ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan for trainer Steve Asmussen, defeated even-money favorite Atta Boy Roy, winner of the Churchill Downs (GII) to win the $125,000 Iowa Sprint Cup by 4 ¾ lengths on Friday night at Prairie Meadows. Majesticperfection ran the six furlongs in track-record time of 1:07.24.

Calvin Borel rode Atta Boy Roy, who finished 6 1/2 lengths in front of Cash Refund, trained by Steve Margolis and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr.

Secret Gypsy, coming off a second-place finish in the Winning Colors (GIII) here on May 31, romped to a 4 ¾-length victory two races earlier in the $100,000 Saylorville Stakes. Churchill Downs-based jockey Jamie Theriot guided Secret Gypsy to victory for trainer Ronny Werner.

Bridgmohan and Borel will be making return trips later Saturday after riding at Churchill Downs and will be joined by Robby Albarado.

Borel is riding Seeking the Title for Dallas Stewart in the Iowa Oaks (GIII), Down With Dixie for Paul McGee in the Iowa Derby (GIII) and Brass Hat for Buff Bradley in the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (GII).
Bridgmohan will ride two horses for Asmussen: Remit in the Iowa Oaks and Matt Winn winner Thiskyhasnolimit in the Iowa Derby.  He will also be abaord Golden Yank in the Cornhusker.

Albarado rides the Dale Romans-trained Quiet Temper in the Iowa Oaks and Vow to Wager in the Iowa Derby, and has the mount on Slew’s Tizzy in the Cornhusker.

BARN TALK – Jockey Victor Lebron continues to thrive under the Friday night lights of “Downs After Dark.” Last night Lebron won the third race on Mercedes Class ($9.40) and the seventh on Harlan’s Princess ($18.40). It marked the third consecutive Friday night Lebron had recorded a riding double.

WORK TAB – Inside Information (GII) winner Warbling worked a bullet five furlongs over a fast track in :59, best of 25 at the distance. … Eight Belles (GIII) winner Buckleupbuttercup worked a half-mile in :49.60. … Fourth-place Kentucky Oaks (GI) finisher Beautician worked a half-mile in :48.60. … Demarcation, fifth in the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) in his most recent start, worked a half-mile in :52.80.