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Florida was not very hospitable to Battle of Hastings this winter. Seeking a change of fortune, his trainer, Greg Fox, has brought Battle of Hastings here to Fair Grounds, hoping that a new turf course and a switch in riders will bring out the best from Battle of Hastings on Saturday in the Grade 2, $400,000 Mervin Muniz Memorial Handicap.
The Muniz, named for the late, popular racing secretary here, drew a field of nine older horses who will go about 1 1/8 miles on turf. Expansion and Sleepless Knight, who ran one-two in last month's Fair Grounds Handicap, the major local prep for the Muniz, are back, but three invaders from Florida -- Battle of Hastings, Moryba, and Smart Bid -- look like major threats to the locals.
Battle of Hastings had a dreadful, traffic-filled trip in the Ft. Lauderdale at Gulfstream in his 2011 debut, then, according to Fox, was caught behind a slow pace and had too much to do late in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap last time out. He was favored in both races.
"He lost, but he fired," Fox said of his last start. "I don't think it was appropriate for him to run his final five furlongs in 56 seconds."
Read more: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=6254982
The Muniz, named for the late, popular racing secretary here, drew a field of nine older horses who will go about 1 1/8 miles on turf. Expansion and Sleepless Knight, who ran one-two in last month's Fair Grounds Handicap, the major local prep for the Muniz, are back, but three invaders from Florida -- Battle of Hastings, Moryba, and Smart Bid -- look like major threats to the locals.
Battle of Hastings had a dreadful, traffic-filled trip in the Ft. Lauderdale at Gulfstream in his 2011 debut, then, according to Fox, was caught behind a slow pace and had too much to do late in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap last time out. He was favored in both races.
"He lost, but he fired," Fox said of his last start. "I don't think it was appropriate for him to run his final five furlongs in 56 seconds."
Read more: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=6254982
