Importance of Monitoring Pregnancy in Mares
by Heather Smith Thomas
Month: February 2022
Winter 2022 Here & There
2021 Louisiana-Bred Foals
(November 13, 2021-January 17, 2022)
2021 Louisiana-bred foals accredited before November 13 are published in the 2022 Louisiana Horse Stallion Register.
Winter 2022 Breeding Shed
Aurelius Maximus Sires First Reported Foal in Louisiana
A filly out of Platinum Patty was born at Hebert Farms Feb. 10.
The first reported foal by Aurelius Maximus , a grade 2-placed son of Pioneerof the Nile, was born Feb. 10 at Hebert Farms in Maurice, La.
The dark bay filly was produced by the Pomeroy mare Platinum Patty , owned by William Meaux. Platinum Patty was a $100,000 purchase from Fasig-Tipton’s Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in 2014 by Charles Castille Jr. and an impressive 2-year-old maiden special weight winner at first asking.
Aurelius Maximus stands the 2022 season for an advertised fee of $2,000, live foal, at the Adcock family’s Red River Farm in Coushatta, La.
Graham ‘s Cruiser First Winner for Hard Aces
Hard Aces, by Hard Spun, won the 2015 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1).
Graham ‘s Cruiser became the first winner for Louisiana stallion Hard Aces when he won a state-bred maiden race at Delta Downs Feb. 11.
The 3-year-old raced in fourth for the first three-eighths of a mile before gaining on the leaders and taking the lead in the final furlong. He won by three-quarters of a length, racing five furlongs in 1:00.78 under C. J. McMahon. He earned $22,800 for winning the $38,000 race.
Hard Aces was retired after running 11th in the Berkeley Handicap (G3) at Golden Gate Fields in November 2017 and went to stud the following year at Averett Farm in Louisiana. He currently stands there for a $2,000 fee.
STALL APPLICATIONS FOR 2022 EVANGELINE DOWNS THOROUGHBRED SEASON DUE BY FEBRUARY 15
THE 84-DAY SEASON BEGINS ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6
OPELOUSAS, LA –The 2022 Thoroughbred season at Evangeline Downs will begin on Wednesday, April 6. The meet will consist of 84 days of racing, running on a Wednesday through Saturday weekly schedule and concluding on August 27. First post each night is scheduled for 5:50pm Central time.
Stall applications are due by Tuesday, February 15. Horsemen interested in an application can visit the track website at www.evdracing.com and click on the Horsemen’s Info tab. The racing office can be contacted directly at 337-594-3000.
The stakes calendar features a couple of new additions with the Acadiana and Lafayette Stakes. The Acadiana, for 3-year-old fillies, will be run on Friday, April 15, with the Lafayette, for 3-year-olds, the following night. The May stakes action features the EVD Distaff, for 4-year-old and up Louisiana-bred filly and mares, on May 6 and the EVD Classic, for Louisiana-bred 4-year-olds and up, on May 7.
The featured night of the Thoroughbred racing season is on Saturday, June 4 with the Louisiana Legends stakes program. Six stakes races for Louisiana-bred runners, each with a purse of $75,000, will highlight the card. Legends Mademoiselle winner Cilla was the star of the 2021 night with her big victory, and subsequent efforts in open stakes company last summer.
July will see the renewals of the Opelousas and John Henry Stakes turf races. The Opelousas, on Friday July 1, is for 3-year-old and up filly and mares. The John Henry, to be run on Saturday, July 2, is for 3-year-olds and up.
The final month of the racing season will have a couple of stakes weekends. The Friday, August 5 card will include the Spotted Horse, a stakes for 3-year-old and up filly and mares. The Evangeline Mile, for 3-year-olds and up, will be contested Saturday, August 6. Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds will take center stage on closing weekend with the D.S “Shine” Young Futurities. The filly division will be run on Friday, August 26, with the colts and geldings division on the final night of the meet, August 27.
For more information on Evangeline Downs, visit the track’s website at www.evdracing.com. Evangeline Downs information can also be found on Twitter @EVDracing and on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing.
LANGS DAY STORMS HOME IN FRONT TO WIN THE $150,000 LOUISIANA PREMIER DAY CHAMPIONSHIP AT DELTA DOWNS
– FREE LIKE A GIRL NOTCHES THIRD STAKES WIN OF THE SEASON IN THE STARLET –
VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted its richest program of the season on Saturday afternoon as the 19th edition of Louisiana Premier Day took center stage. The 11-race program featured 10 stakes races and more than $900,000 in total purse money for Louisiana-bred horses.
The featured race of the day was the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Day Championship, which featured a full field of 10 competing at 1-1/16 miles. The race appeared to be wide open without Underpressure, as the winner of the last two editions of the event was not entered this time around. The morning line favorite and race-time chalk Langs Day did not disappoint, as the Lee Thomas trainee went from last-to-first while scoring his second stakes win of the meet.
“He’s a simple horse but a hard horse to ride,” said jockey Ty Kennedy. “You have to let him find himself but once he hits the three-eighths pole he does the rest and I just let the big guy roll. He always runs well at Delta Downs.”
Langs Day is known for his strong late kick, and on Saturday he used it well. After dropping back to last in the initial strides he began to pick up momentum racing into the second and final turn while pacesetters Magawildtime and Beauregard carved out fractional times of 23.85 seconds for the opening quarter mile and 48.37 for the half. When the field hit three-quarters of a mile in 1:14.54 it was Speaktomeoflove who had forged a narrow lead.
In the homestretch Speaktomeoflove looked to be in for a big payday but Langs Day had other ideas. The pair hooked up at the sixteenth pole and it was a war of wills before Langs Day got the upper hand late to record a half-length win over his tenacious rival. Jimi’s a Star finished well to be third, another 1-1/2 lengths behind the top pair.
Langs Day now has six wins from 17 career starts for owner Keith Plaisance. The winner’s prize of $90,000 on Saturday raised Langs Day’s bankroll to $277,040.
Bred in Louisiana by J. Adcock & Adcock’s Red River Farm, LLC, Langs Day is a 5-year-old chestnut gelding by New Year’s Day, out of the Langfuhr mare Langsyne.
Sent off at odds of 8-5, Langs Day paid $5.40 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.40 to show. Speaktomeoflove returned $4.80 to place and $3.60 to show. Jimi’s a Star was worth $4.60 to show.
Net a Bear scored her second stakes win of the season in the $125,000 Distaff on Louisiana Premier Day. The win came in dramatic fashion as jockey Tim Thornton had to angle out from the rail in the upper-stretch and rundown leaders Snowball and Fort Polk to get up just before the wire. The Allen Landry trainee also took the Magnolia Stakes at Delta Downs on October 29.
Net a Bear is now 10-for-30 during her career and has earned $523,870 after taking home $75,000 on Saturday afternoon for owners Maximo Lamarche and Federico Deltoro.
Trainer Allen Landry did himself one better in the $100,000 Prince as he saddled the first and second-place finishers, Vodka Gimlet and Brian’s Iron Mike. The pair were far in front of the rest of the field at the wire with Vodka Gimlet winning the first stakes race of his career with jockey Thomas Pompell in the saddle. Vodka Gimlet is owned by Ellen Epstein.
The win by Vodka Gimlet put another $60,000 into his bankroll which now stands at $102,645. He is a 3-year-old gelding by Goldencents out of the Out of Place mare Shy Baby.
The $100,000 Starlet featured Free Like a Girl, who already had two stakes wins under her belt this season. The Chasey Deville Pomier trainee won the Louisiana Jewel in October before taking the My Trusty Cat just one month later. She most recently won a stakes race at Fair Grounds
before her appearance in the Starlet on Saturday where she took the lead early and never looked back under jockey Pedro Cotto, Jr.
Free Like a Girl notched her sixth win from just 11 career starts in the Starlet and raised her career bankroll to $341,473. The bay filly by El Deal is owned by Gerald Bruno, Jr., Carl J. Deville, Chasey Deville Pomier and Jerry Caroom. She was bred by former jockey Kim Stover and her sister Lisa Osborne.
Bertie’s Galaxy turned in a sharp performance to win this year’s $100,000 sprint under jockey Jareth Loveberry. The Ron Faucheux trainee broke sharp and lead every step of the way in the five-furlong dash for older horses. Bertie’s Galaxy has now won 10-of-23 career starts and earned another $60,000 on Saturday to raise his overall bankroll to $382,850. The son of Greeley’s Galaxy is owned by Allen Cassedy.
The $100,000 Matron featured graded stakes winner Cilla, who dazzled the fans with a romping victory in the five-furlong test for older fillies and mares. Cilla is owned by P. Dale Ladner and trained by Brett Brinkman. The daughter of California Chrome was ridden to victory by jockey Thomas Pompell. Cilla has now won seven of 14 starts and owns a bankroll of $476,000.
The $60,000 Gentlemen Starter was taken by Greeley’s Dealer. The Dale White, Sr. owned and trained 9-year-old gelding saved his best for last, coming up the rail to snare the win under jockey Jose Guerrero. Greeley’s Dealer has now won 15-of-55 starts during his career.
Longshot Girl Thirsty was victorious as a huge longshot in the $50,000 Ladies Starter. Overlooked at odds of 30-1, the Ronnie Ward trainee ran down race favorite Heart That Binds in the stretch to get the win under jockey Alexander Castillo. Girl Thirsty is owned by Claudio Solis.
This year’s $50,000 Bon Temps Starter was won by Sandy Badeaux’s Madison’s Place with jockey Joel Dominguez in the saddle. The Eduardo Ramirez trainee overhauled race favorite Wild Mallory in the stretch to record the ninth win of her 32-race career.
And finally, it was the Keith Charles owned and trained gelding Alterana who took the $50,000 Ragin Cajun Starter under jockey Gerard Melancon. Alterana has now won nine of 31 career starts and the score on Saturday afternoon extended his current winning streak to four races.
Delta Downs will conduct live racing for the next four weeks on a Wednesday through Saturday schedule until the meet comes to a close on March 5. First post time each day is at 12:55 pm.
For more information about racing at Delta Downs visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also get information about through Facebook by visiting the page ‘Delta Downs Racing’. The track’s Twitter handle is @deltaracing.
Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.
Murrill Scores Career Win 1,000
Guides the Brad Cox-trained Yin Yang to victory in Sunday’s sixth race
(New Orleans, LA – February, 6, 2022) – Just a little more than eight years into a career that began at Delta Downs on Halloween in 2013, jockey Mitchell Murrill won his 1,000th career race on Sunday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, guiding Selective Racing’s Yin Yang (2.10-1 second choice) to victory for trainer Brad Cox in the day’s sixth race, an “off the turf” optional claiming/first-level allowance sprint for 3-year-old fillies.
“I’ve got to thank Brad (trainer Cox),” Murrill said. “This is the first horse I’ve ridden for him in my career, so it’s kind of nice to get into the winner’s circle for him. He told me before the race that the horse (Yin Yang) was going to be keen and to try to get her to relax and keep her running forward. She did it today.”
Earlier on the card Murrill won the fourth race on Cypriano for trainer Chris Hartman, who just two days earlier reached a milestone of his own at Fair Grounds, winning his 1,500th career race. The duo has contributed greatly to each other’s success, teaming up for 82 wins since first joining forces four years ago. Following a five for ten winning streak, Murrill had been in an 0 for 23 slump prior to his fourth race score.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Murrill said of reaching the milestone. “All week it’s been pretty tough to get into the winner’s circle, but we got it done and I can’t be more grateful for everyone who has contributed.”
The 27-year-old native of Mobile, Alabama scored his first career win aboard Golden Barbara on May 28, 2014. Perennially in the top five in the jockey standings at both Fair Grounds and Arlington Park, he had a breakthrough meet in November at Churchill Downs, finishing fifth with 15 wins. He earned a career-best $5,619,207 in purses in 2021 and counts the 2018 Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G3) aboard Chocolate Martini as his biggest win to date.
“Gerard Melancon helped me out from the very beginning when I started riding at Evangeline,” Murrill said. “It’s hard grinding, working. My agent Tim (Hanisch) is out here every day working hard, trying to make connections with everybody and trying to keep everybody happy. We are just trying to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward.”
Murrill’s parents and girlfriend had been in attendance earlier in the week, awaiting the milestone win that didn’t come until Sunday.
“I told them if I didn’t win, they had to go home,” Murrill joked. “I wish they could have been here to share this with me.”
Rosie Napravnik to Spearhead “New Vocations Day at the Races” on Saturday, February 12 at Fair Grounds
Four-time local riding champion on hand to raise awareness for Thoroughbred Aftercare
New Orleans (February 4, 2022) – On Saturday, February 12, retired jockey and horse advocate Rosie Napravnik will be on site at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots to spearhead the “New Vocations Day at the Races.” A four-time local riding champion who was instrumental in the opening of the New Vocations facility in Covington, Louisiana, Napravnik will join host Joe Kristufek on the live feed during the racing day to help build awareness, promote success stories and inspire donations for Thoroughbred aftercare.
“Before and after my riding career, I’ve been exposed to a lot of the other things that horses can do, and that’s a big part of the reason why I’m so passionate about it and why it’s so important to me,” Napravnik said in regards to Thoroughbred aftercare. “I have a lot of experience in the other disciplines and I’ve seen retired racehorses really excel. I got my first off-the-track Thoroughbred back in 2008 and watching him transform, his potential, his trainability, his eagerness to do something else and to learn new things and please really inspired me. After riding so many of those horses and seeing how much they put out for us on the racetrack, it’s just something I can’t avoid making a part of my life.”
Held for the first time at Fair Grounds one year ago, the “New Vocations Day at the Races” raised $8,198 in unique donations from fans and people within the industry, including horsemen, horse owners and jockeys.
“We are very excited about the success we had with our first New Vocations Day last year and have been looking forward to another addition,” Napravnik said. “Last year everybody jumped into action, making donations and encouraging others on social media to do so as well. We are very grateful for the HBPA and the horseman in Louisiana for supporting our efforts. Our program continues to expand, and we are excited to share our growth from the past year.”
Napravnik, who won 1,878 races in her ten-year career, retired in 2014 following her Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) win with Untapable. In 2012 she became the first female rider to capture the Kentucky Oaks (G1), guiding Believe You Can to victory, and she won the race again just two years later with Untapable. She is now married to trainer Joe Sharp and together they have two sons, Carson and Tucker.
“Rosie is one of our favorites,” said Fair Grounds senior director of racing Jason Boulet. “It’s great to have her back at the Fair Grounds to help shed light on such an important cause and to share her valuable insight with the fans. We look forward to building on last year’s success.”
Recognizing the need for expanded Thoroughbred aftercare in Louisiana, Napravnik reached out to New Vocations, the largest racehorse adoption program in the country, in the fall of 2019. With Napravnik taking on a leadership role under the umbrella of New Vocations, they received a start-up grant from the Right Horse and were off and running.
“That grant basically funded almost half of running the program for the first two years,” said New Vocations Thoroughbred program director Anna Ford. “That really helped us get on our feet. Then the Louisiana HBPA stepped in and they have really supported our efforts.”
Since opening their doors in 2019, the Louisiana division of New Vocations has served 140 horses, including 55 last year. There are currently 15 horses in the program.
“Moving into our third year, our Louisiana facility continues to thrive and our team has done a wonderful job with each horse that has entered the program,” Ford said. The continued support from Louisianan HBPA has played a huge role in the facility’s success. We are also seeing more and more local owners, breeders and trainers reach out to utilize our services as well as support our efforts. We are grateful to have the Fair Grounds hosting another New Vocations Day at the Races. We hope the event will continue to raise awareness about our Louisiana facility and the services we provide to the racing community.”
On Saturday, February 12, Napravnik will join track announcer John G. Dooley on the pre-race “Fair Grounds Today” show and partner with simulcast host Joe Kristufek during the racing card to provide information on how to donate a horse, how to adopt a horse, and how fans can contribute to the cause. She will also share adoption success stories, which will be supported by video of retired racehorses thriving in their second careers.
“I want to help make sure that horses have the opportunity to do something after racing because they really deserve it,” Napravnik said. “They have so much life ahead of them when their racing career is over. I can’t ignore that, especially in a place like Louisiana that has such a high demand for organizations to help bridge that gap.”
In addition to promoting Thoroughbred aftercare awareness, Napravnik will also offer her race-by-race selections via the “expert picks” videos on twinspires.com and the Twin Spires app, and on the simulcast feed.
“During my riding career, I never handicapped to pick the winner, I handicapped to make my horse the winner,” Napravnik said. “But there’s a lot of insight I can give on how each of the riders could see the race unfolding and how it might play out from a pace and trip perspective. I truly enjoy being on the show and handicapping the races with Joe so it will be another fun and exciting day as we raise awareness and funds for aftercare in Louisiana!”
For those who would like to contribute a financial donation to the Louisiana chapter of New Vocations and support the Fair Grounds Day at the Races with Rosie Napravnik, visit https://horseadoption.org/donateand click the button with Rosie’s picture on it in the top row.
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