Jimmy Rash, Central Nebraska Today
GRAND ISLAND — The 64th running of the $15,000 Baxter Stakes will be heavy with the top trainers on the grounds saddling the favorites for the six-furlong race for 3-year-olds.
Leading trainer Mark Hibdon is scheduled to send two to the post with Water Tester, ridden by David Cardoso at 6-1 and La. Grand Slam, a filly ridden by Victor Bailon at 9-2.
It will be La. Grand Slam’s first outing at Fonner Park.
“I didn’t want to run her against older horses so I haven’t been able to get an out in her,” Hibdon said. “She’s been here the whole meet and I haven’t been able to run her yet. I wanted to get an out in her and entered her in a couple of different races.”
If things go well and she comes off the Baxter in good shape, La. Grand Slam will likely be running next week as well.
“I thought I’d give her an out here and of course the Pepsi (Stakes) is next week. If she comes out good (off the Baxter) I’m going to run her next week in the Pepsi.”
La. Grand Slam had a bullet workout of 46.20 on March 25.
“We took her to the gate and she worked a really, really sharp work. She was just dragging David around there. She likes this track, and I think she’s going to show up.
“She looks live in there too. I think she’s going to surprise some people.
Hibdon said he also likes the chances of Water Tester, a horse he claimed at Delta Downs for $10,000, in the Baxter on Saturday.
Water Tester’s lone win came at Delta Downs in January. He has started twice in allowance races at Fonner against older horses and finished fifth both times.
“We’re feeling pretty good about Water Tester,” Hibdon said. “We had to run him when he was a 3-year-old and wanted to get him an out in here against older horses. Probably shouldn’t have done it. He ran pretty well, but not well enough to beat the older horses. But running against 3-year-olds I think he’ll be a little sharper.”
Isai Gonzalez, who is second in the trainer’s standings, has the morning-line favorite Maximum Grace at 3-1 with leading jockey Kevin Roman in the saddle.
And David Anderson, a Nebraska Thoroughbred Hall of Fame member who is third in the trainer’s standings,is sending Hurry Up N Wait and jockey Travis Cunningham to the post at 4-1 on the morning line.
Maximum Grace and Water Tester have the most starting experience with 10 each. Maximum Grace, a Louisiana-bred gelding, has two wins to his credit including one at the Fairgrounds on March 16.
Hurry Up N Wait has just two starts, both at Fonner Park. He finished second in his first race by a neck, then broke his maiden his next out by a neck.
Guns, trained by Jason Wise and ridden by Jose Medina, is 5-1 on the morning line.
Fly High Trigger is 10-1 on the morning line and will be ridden by Ronald Hisby. Fly High Trigger, a Nebraska-bred trained by Steven Becker, broke his maiden his last out when he came from last place to win a maiden special weight race on March 30.
Trainer Schuyler Condon will saddle Hasting Flyer for jockey Blake Nunnelly. He’s 8-1 on the morning line.
General Pickett at 15-1 is the longest shot on the morning line. He’s trained by Jason Crabtree and ridden by Nathan Haar.
Hoofprints
— Sunday is the final day of Sunday racing for this live meet at Fonner Park. The last three weeks of live racing will feature cards on Friday and Saturday only.
— Nebraska Hall of Fame jockey Ken Shino was at Fonner on Friday. Shino still holds the track record for consecutive wins with seven and wins in one day with eight, both set on April 2, 2000.
— Jockey Jose Medina couldn’t match Shino’s mark of seven straight wins, but he did win three in a row. Medina rode P R Mo Vision to a win in the third race for trainer Jason Wise, Gambler’s Nightmare in the fourth for trainer Eric Ramaekers and Honeyfromthesouth in the fifth for trainer Marvin Johnson.
— Five of five in the Dinsdale Automotive Pick 5 Jackpot paid $765.35. The carryover to Saturday is $8,945.48.
