Bossier City, LA – The final two stakes of the Thoroughbred racing season at Louisiana Downs, the $75,000 Elge Rasberry and the $75,000 A. L. (Red) Erwin, were run on Saturday, September 23. Both stakes were written for 3-year-old graduates of the Louisiana-bred Sale and were run at the distance of one mile on the Franks Turf Course.

Big Game Baby Edges Out Bermuda Star in the $75,000 Elge Rasberry

 

Elge Rasberry Stakes
Louisiana Downs, 9-23-17, 1 mile (turf)
3YO Louisiana Bred Sales Graduate Fillies, Purse $75,000

BIG GAME BABY
Gold Tribute – Hot Talent
Breeder: Ronald P. Webb
Owner: Eat My Dust LLC
Trainer: Joseph M. Foster
Jockey: Gerardo Mora

2nd
Bermuda Star
Star Guitar–Bermuda Bride
Breeder: Tom Curtis & Wayne Simpson
Owner: Brittlyn Stable, Inc.
Trainer: Victor Arceneaux
Jockey: Diego Saenz

3rd
Our Sweet Sydni
Into Mischief–Our Dalila
Breeder: Brett A. Brinkman
Owner: Ironheart Farms
Trainer: Brett A. Brinkman
Jockey: Gerard Melancon

 

The 23rd running of the $75,000 Elge Rasberry drew a field of 12 fillies.  Big Game Baby, a daughter of Gold Tribute, owned by Eat My Dust LLC, made her third trip to the winner’s circle and her first stakes win, closing gamely under leading rider Gerardo Mora.

 The early pace was set by Swifty Cat and jockey Emanuel Nieves, who covered the first quarter-mile in :25.25 and the half-mile in :49.79. Both Big Game Baby and heavy favorite Bermuda Star began to quicken strides as they rounded the final turn.  Jockey Diego Saenz aboard Bermuda Star, lodged a claim of foul against Mora as they bumped nearing the wire, but the stewards took no action. Big Game Baby covered one-mile in 1.38.02 over a firm turf course.

This was just the second turf start for runner-up Bermuda Star, owned by Brittlyn Stable, Inc and trained by Victor Arceneaux., The filly by Star Guitar had won three starts this year, including the Equine Sales Oaks on May 5 at Evangeline Downs.  Our Sweet Syndi ridden by Gerard Melancon ran third and Swifty Cat completed the superfecta.

Bred by Ronald P. Webb, Big Game Baby is trained by Joey Foster, who is the top conditioner this season at the Bossier City racetrack.  She has made five starts this meet, running fifth in the Opelousas Stakes on August 5. Sent off at odds of 6-1, the gray filly returned $14.00 for the win and earned $45,000 for the Elge Rasberry victory.

 

Jack Snipe’s Pulls the Upset in the $75,000 A. L. (Red) Erwin

 

A.L. (Red) Erwin
Louisiana Downs, 9-23-17, 1 mile (turf)
3YO Louisiana Bred Sales Graduates, Purse $75,000

JACK SNIPE’S
Half Ours–Rhodelia
Breeder: Clear Creek Stud Llc
Owner: Jeff Drown and Gary Scherer
Trainer: Gary M. Scherer
Jockey:  Jansen Melancon

2nd
Fee Do
Forefathers–Snake Proof
Breeder: Leonard Warf
Owner: Keith Plaisance
Trainer: Edward J. Johnston
Jockey: Emanuel Nieves

3rd
Culp’s Hill
Eddington–Pussy Footin
Breeder: Southern Legacy Thoroughbreds, LLC
Owner: Southern Legacy Thoroughbreds, LLC
Trainer: Joseph M. Foster
Jockey: Timothy Thornton

Jack Snipe’s made the most of his turf stakes debut, defeating a field of 10 colts and geldings in the second feature of the afternoon, the $75,000 A. L. (Red) Erwin.

Owned by Jeff Drown and Gary Scherer, the son of Half Ours won the six-furlong Louisiana Futurity last December at Fair Grounds. He entered today’s stakes off a tenth-place finish in the Mystic Lake Derby over a yielding turf course at Canterbury Park on August 17.  Whether the firm turf or pace scenario made the difference, he rallied in the final stages of the race at odds of 13-1. Jockey Jansen Melancon picked up the mount from Denny Velazquez and delivered a well-timed ride in a final time of 1.35.75.

 

The early fractions of :23.84 and :47.05 were set by Southern Legacy Thoroughbreds LLC’s

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homebred Culp’s Hill under jockey Tim Thornton. Trained by Foster, the son of Eddington was

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looking for his fourth victory of the meet. He held for third-place as Fee Do edged him for the

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place. Owned by Keith Plaisance, Fee Do, a gelded son of Forefathers made his stakes debut with

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jockey Emanuel Nievesaboard.  Magic Vow, the high-earner in the field saved ground on the

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final turn to finish fourth.

This was the first win in four starts this year for Jack Snipe’s, who is trained by Scherer. He rewarded his supporters with a win payout of $29.80.