It’s FOAL FRIDAY – look at this young fellow who arrived at Willow Ridge Farm in Durham, ON – thank you Bonnie Greener Rowntree at Willow Ridge for sharing these moments with Thoroughblog..

“VALENTINO” is a colt by Victor’s Cry  from 10-time winner Sindi’s Success, by Regal Intention – Bonnie Greener Rowntree photo

RAINBOW 6 – ARE YOU PLAYING?

Now you are battling some big, big players as the Gulfstream Rainbow 6 grows to close to $2 million. The carryover is $1.3 million for a bet that has to have one, unique winner to be doled out.

That has not happened recently even with the occasional 45-1 shot winning.

Yesterday’s card had 2 strong key horses in the 6-race sequence (Armando Bog and Glass of Wine) and the other 4 races were taken by logical horses.

The payoff for 6 was just over $500 – not a big payoff for0 a lot of work!

Are you playing the Rainbow 6?

SPRING TRAINING AT WOODBINE – Frigid temperatures change to the high 40s Fahrenheit this weekend with some rain..horsepeople are slowing shipping in and here are some photos from Woodbine:

PREVIEW OF FAIR GROUNDS STAKES RACES ON SATURDAY

Fair Grounds will be one of the main tracks for fans and horsepeople tomorrow with a big card including the important RISEN STAR STAKES for Kentucky Derby hopefuls…this is an excellent preview of the events by GERARD APADULA…(http://isportsweb.com/2016/02/19/horse-racing-preview-of-the-2016-risen-star-stakes-rachel-alexandra-stakes-and-more/)

Who do you like in the Risen Star?

The RISEN STAR Stakes is a very competitive race and perhaps a major Derby player will exit the event. The Beyer Figures range from the mid 70s to high 80s, not exactly Grade 1 winning numbers, but these are new 3-year-olds. AIROFORCE certainly is getting most of the air-play coming into the race but with his races at 2 all being on grass or in the slop, a fast, dirt track is a huge change in surface for the son of Colonel John.

THOROUGHBLOG likes 6-1 morning line offering GUN RUNNER, by Candy Ride (Arg)

from Fair Grounds..

G M B Racing’s Mo Tom has a full plate on Saturday afternoon. The Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots-based charge will attempt to refute his detractors, exact some revenge on a previous conqueror and do his part to keep the winner’s circle celebration local when the New Orleans-owned and -trained son of Uncle Mo takes to the track for the Grade II $400,000 Veterans Ford Risen Star Stakes.

A driving winner last out in the local Grade III $200,000 TwinSpires.com Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 16, the $150,000 Keeneland September Sale purchase will look to do what Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s International Star did in 2015 – sweep the first two of the local Kentucky Derby prep series. Said son of Fusaichi Pegasus, who returns to race earlier in the card, would go on to win the Grade II Louisiana Derby five weeks later – a race that is, especially with his connections, the first major goal in Mo Tom’s sophomore agenda.

“I think the most interesting thing about what we’ve seen with ’Tom over the last few weeks is that he looks like he’s finally filling out,” Amoss beamed. “That’s exciting because he’s a May foal and we were hoping for that development. It looks like we’re starting to see it.”

Owned by Gayle Benson, wife of New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, Mo Tom is on a calculated campaign that appears to be three-fold: win the $1 million Louisiana Derby for his locally iconic owners, prepare him for a tilt at the Grade I $2 million Kentucky Derby and give him enough bottom to overcome being a late foal who has shown – even in his victories – a degree of immaturity. In addition, he has to face John Oxley’s Mark Casse-trained Risen Star favorite Airoforce, who beat him into third two starts ago in the Grade II $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club – a race in which Mo Tom did not have the most ideal trip.

A half-brother to Peter Callaghan’s Kenny McPeek-trained Beautician, a talented daughter of Dehere who was second in two Grade I races – including the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita – Mo Tom is out of the Rubiano mare Caroni. Many skeptics have brought to mind that the immediate presence Uncle Mo, who raced only eight times and lost in both of his attempts beyond 1 1/16 miles – and champion sprinter Rubiano may limit Mo Tom’s stamina ceiling.

“I disagree with (pedigree-based detractors),” Amoss said. “When I bought him I was paying a lot of attention to horses I thought could get a distance and I feel very comfortable that he can. I say that after a lot of years of having horses I was very skeptical of them doing that, so I’m very comfortable with the whole thing.”

The betting public and racing fans will find out in due time how much mo’ Mo Tom can travel, but in the meantime it may be worth noting that his second dam, Douce Carotte, is a daughter of Caro – the sire of Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors and turf marathon superstars With Approval, Grand Flotilla and Golden Pheasant. His third dam, Kshesinskaya, is a daughter of the great Nijinsky II, who has the unique notch in his girth of siring Kentucky Derby (Ferdinand) and Epsom Derby (Shahrastani) winners in the same year (1986). Lastly, his third dam, stakes-placed Royal Kin, is a daughter of Sir Gaylord, the older half-brother to Secretariat who was favored for the Kentucky Derby (injured and retired just prior) and possessed enough speed to set a seven-furlong track record and ample stamina to beget Epsom Derby winner Sir Ivor.

Needless to say, there is a chance that by Saturday evening, reports of Mo Tom’s endurance shortcomings may be slightly exaggerated.

The three-time winner from five starts, earner of $211,526 and holder of the highest two-turn Beyer Speed Figure (88) in the field breaks from post two under regular rider Corey Lanerie.

MO TOM is one of FOUR sons of UNCLE MO in the Risen Star Stakes on Saturday – Fair Grounds media photo