Category: 2024

Brian’s Iron Mike Produces Resolutely to Win Costa Rising

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Brian’s Iron Mike with jockey Ben Curtis aboard captures the 14th running of the $100,000 Costa Rising Stakes at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Lily Weir

 

Hat Racing’s Brain’s Iron Mike produced a resolute late move to leave no doubts about which older turf sprinter was best in the $100,000 Costa Rising Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Winning by 2 1/2 lengths Brian’s Iron Mike beat a field of five male rivals.

Trained by Allen Landry and piloted by Ben Curtis, the gray son of Iron Fist covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.71 to win his first across the sod. With the portable rails down, the Stall-Wilson turf course was rated “yielding.”

“He had a little time off and we’ve been getting him back right,” Landry said. “He loves the grass, it seems like that’s the spot for him.”

With the scratch of several pace presences, it was Unified Report who made the lead and set modest opening fractions of :22.57 and :46.12. Brain’s Iron Mike settled second to last, staying several paths off the rail. With a furlong to go, he kicked past Unified Report who held all other bids at bay to run second. Mangum rounded out the trifecta.

“I thought we’d be further back but he broke and got into stride very quickly today,” Curtis said. “I always say when riding on a short-priced favorite, one back and one out and no excuses up the stretch is the way to ride them. I got a lovely tow around, he traveled beautifully. When I asked him in the stretch, he put them to bed very well.”

Bet down to odds-on favoritism, Brian’s Iron Mike paid $3.20, $2.60, and $2.20.

Adding the Costa Rising to his stakes resume, Brian’s Iron Mike now sports a 18-5-5-2 career record, including the 2022 Monte Man, and stacks $281,500 in career earrings.

Platinum Minit’s Rally Stymied, but Kissed Up in the Crescent City Oaks

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Platinum Minit with jockey Reylu Gutierrez (black cap) aboard wins the 19th running of the Crescent City Oaks after the disqualification of Clearly A Test from first to second. Hodges Photography / Amanda Weir

 

Kicking into high gear to split foes near the $125,000 Crescent City Oaks wire, Platinum Minit’s bold move was stymied by Clearly a Test who crossed the finish line first on Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Inquiry and objections quickly went up and the stewards ruled Clearly a Test interfered with Platinum Minit’s impressive surge, and the filly who walked over from Dallas Stewart’s barn was declared the statebred Oaks champion.

“She’s a tiny little thing but she has a big heart,” Stewart said. “I’m lucky that Mr. [Murray] Valene sends me these great fillies.”

Platinum Minit was guided by last year’s leading jockey Reylu Gutierrez.

Post-time favorite Lightofmaine pressed Sister Ella who set quick early fractions of :23.32 and :47.97. Platinum Minit broke sharply but relaxed to settle on the rail, letting a pocket form around her before tipping out to the center of track to begin her rally. Having tracked the forward fillies through the far turn, Clearly a Test emerged with promise at the top of the stretch but proved green drifting out and finally back in to interfere with Platinum Minit’s late surge. Disqualified from first, Clearly a Test was placed second. Late charger Emily’s Bullet got up for third.

“She settled nicely early on for me,” Gutierrez said. “At the end I wasn’t sure if she’d split the horses but when I asked she did. This filly has a ton of heart and all credit goes to Mr. Valene and Dallas Stewart.”

Though they had to sweat out a steward’s decision, Platinum Minit’s backers breathed a $8.60, $4.00, and $3.00 sigh of relief once the ruling came.

The daughter of Givemeaminit who broke her maiden in an allowance, now has 2 wins from 7 starts and $136,525 in the bank.

Payday for El Dinero in the Crescent City Derby

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El Dinero with James Graham aboard wins the 52nd running of the Cresent City Derby at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Lily Weir

 

New Orleans, La (March 23, 2024) – John Tavormina’s El Dinero rallied up the rail to score the $125,000 Crescent City Derby at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots on Saturday. One of eight stakes on Saturday’s “Louisiana Derby Day,” the Crescent City Derby concluded the three Louisiana-bred affairs, including the Crescent City Oaks and Costa Rising Stakes.

Trained by Pat Devereux Jr., El Dinero beat seven statebred 3-year-old males by 4 3/4 lengths. The son of El Deal completed the 1 1/16 miles across the fast main track in 1:45.08.

“It really never felt like he was going to lose all the way around there,” Devereux said. “That doesn’t happen very often. It’s come and gone with him. He’s not always as generous, but we moved back to Evangeline from Delta and he worked awesome two times, so it felt like he was coming into this race the right way.”

Sonofaship hustled hardest to beat the field to the front, clocking in honest opening fractions of :23.82 and :47.51. After positioning mid-pack in the two-path, El Dinero maneuvered far turn traffic with ease, then hugged the rail to quickly cut in line at the top of the stretch and extend his lead down the stretch. Sonofaship stayed on for second. Blue Eyed George finished third.

“He traveled super today,” Graham said. “He carried me the whole way. Whenever I needed an inch I got it. When I squeezed on him into the hole, he accelerated. And then it was over. I don’t think distance is going to be a problem for him.”

El Dinero returned $6.80, $3.20, $2.40.

Never running out of the money, El Dinero’s lifetime record of 9-4-3-2 has earned his connections $293,990.

2024 TEXAS TWO-YEAR-OLDS IN TRAINING SALE BREEZE SHOW TO BE BROADCAST LIVE!

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2024 TEXAS TWO-YEAR-OLDS IN TRAINING SALE BREEZE SHOW TO BE BROADCAST LIVE!
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The 2024 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale Breeze Show will be broadcast LIVE on the TTA Sales YouTube Channel on April 1st. The Breeze Show begins at 8am CT on April 1st.

Stay Tuned to the TTA’s Social Media Channels and TTAsales.com for a link to the live stream (Link will be available one hour before the breeze show begins)!
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Late Stallion Givemeaminit Sires First Stakes Winner

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The filly is a member of her sire’s solitary crop.

Late sire and Louisiana champion 3-year-old male Givemeaminit sired his first stakes winner when his daughter Platinum Minit  captured the $125,000 Crescent City Oaks for state-bred sophomore fillies at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots March 23.

Plantinum Minit is from her sire’s first and only foal crop of just three registered foals. Givemeaminit, a grade 1-placed son of Star Guitar  , succumbed to EPM (equine protozoal myeloencephalitis) during his first season at stud. He stood at his breeder’s farm, Clear Creek Stud, in Louisiana, before his death in 2020.

Platinum Minit’s first black-type score was not without its share of drama. The 3-year-old Dallas Stewart trainee dueled stride for stride to the wire with Clearly a Test , only to be beaten a neck by that rival. She was inevitably declared the winner when stewards ruled she was hampered by Clearly a Test, who failed to keep a straight course the length of the stretch and repeatedly bore into Platinum Minit.

 

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Piloted by Corey Lanerie, Free Like a Girl Adds Shantel Lanerie Memorial to Impressive Stakes Resume

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Free Like A Girl with jockey Corey Lanerie aboard wins the 4th running of the Shantel Lanerie Memorial Stakes named in honor of his late wife. Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.

 

New Orleans, La (March 24, 2024) – Free Like a Girl racked up another big win, beating out 10 older Louisiana-bred fillies and mares by 1 1/4 lengths in the $100,000 Shantel Lanerie Memorial at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Trained by Chasey Pomier, Free Like a Girl’s third stakes win on the meet, along with the Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Distaff and Doris Hebert, was the 14th added-money score of her career.

“She loves her job,” Pomier said. “I’ve tried giving her some time in between certain races but she doesn’t have any of it. Bucking and squealing in the shedrow, trying to tear down the stall, so I just give in and train her. Corey (jockey Lanerie) put on a perfect ride and we were  very excited to win this race.”

Jockey Corey Laneire guided her through the one mile 70 yards on the “fast” main track in 1:43.06. In the race named in memory of his departed wife who passed away from complications with breast cancer, Lanerie has now won back-to-back editions, having piloted Nosilverspoomshere in 2023.

Jockey Corey Lanerie aboard Free Like A Girl points skyward after winning the Shantel Lanerie Memorial Stakes, named after his late wife. Hodges Photography / Jan Brubaker

“I want to thank Chasey for letting me ride such a nice horse in such a special race,” Lanerie said. “In Shantel’s memory. It means a lot to me. I was on the best horse, but it got a little eventful at the 5/16ths pole. As I went to pass the 10 horse, he went to spread the turn a little bit, a little more than I wanted. I got a little nervous when Marcelino (Pedroza aboard A G’s Charlotte) cut the corner on me, but she (Free Like a Girl) was just the best horse and gave me the extra effort. She wasn’t going to let anybody by. All my family on both sides come here to support me. We will always be family.”

Thetruthisthetruth showed the way sharply, recording opening quarters of :23.55 and :46.60. Free Like a Girl stalked in the four path through the far turn, but when floated wide had to recover to offer a late rally. Passing Thetruthisthetruth in midstretch, Free Like a Girl finished professionally as Muchmorethanready closed from last to get up for second. A G’s Charlotte got up for third.

With yet another notch in her stakes win belt, Free Like a Girl bolstered her career mark to 37-17-10-5 with earnings of $1,305,978.

Free Like a Girl returned $3.20, $2.60 and $2.20. Muchmorethanready paid out $6.00 and $3.60 and A G’s Charlotte was worth $2.80 to show.

Texas Horsemen Welcome Potential New Austin Track

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The new track would join Sam Houston Race Park and Lone Star Park in the state.

Plans are in motion for a third race track in Texas, this one would be built outside of Austin.

Plans for this track were first reported by Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.

The new track would join Sam Houston Race Park and Lone Star Park as Thoroughbred race tracks in the state.

 

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Jake Delhomme Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast

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He’s best known as a former NFL quarterback who nearly beat Tom Brady in Super Bowl XXXVIII. But Jake Delhomme, who starred for the Carolina Panthers, is also a passionate horse owner who, along with his father Jerry and his brother Jeff, operates Set-Hut Stable LLC. The Delhomme clan focuses on Louisiana-breds and this year they have come up with one of the best ever. Touchuponastar (Star Guitar) is 11-for-14 lifetime and will run this weekend at Fair Grounds, either against open company in Saturday’s $500,000 GII New Orleans Classic or against state-breds the next day in the Star Guitar S.

To talk about Touchuponastar, his love affair with racing and even a bit about his NFL career, Delhomme joined this week’s TDN Writers’ Room podcast presented by Keeneland. He was this week’s Green GroupGuest of the Week.

 

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To watch the podcast, click here. To listen to an audio of the podcast, click here.

Louisiana-bred Win Machine Touchuponaster Entered to Take On Mineshaft Superfecta in New Orleans Classic

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Former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme could call an audible and instead run in Sunday’s restricted Star Guitar Stakes

New Orleans, La (March 20, 2024) – The winner of 11 of 14 career starts, the Louisiana-bred Touchuponastar has been installed as Mike Diliberto’s 3-1 morning line favorite over the top four finishers from the Mineshaft (G3) and five others for Saturday’s nine furlong $500,000 New Orleans Classic (G2) presented by Relyne GI by Hagyard.

            Purchased for just $14,000 as a yearling, Touchuponastar has only run against open company twice in his career – finishing a game second behind Frosted Grace in the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) at Lone Star in May 2023 and later winning the Delta Mile at Delta Downs in November. The 5-year-old gelded son of Star Guitar has won seven Louisiana-breds stakes and has banked over $700,000 along the way.

            Owned by Set-Hut Stables of former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme, Touchuponastar is trained by his brother Jeff. He is also entered in Sunday’s $100,000 Star Guitar Stakes presented by Brittlyn Stables. Restricted to Louisiana-breds four-year-olds and up, the Star Guitar will be run at 1 1/16 miles. Should he choose that route, Touchuponastar is expected to be an odds-on favorite over the upstart Jack Hammer and five others.

            “I honestly haven’t made a concrete decision yet,” Delhomme said in regards to which race Touchuponastar will run in. “All I will say is that the horse is doing extremely well at the moment.”

Jockey Tim Thornton, who has been aboard for every one of his races sans the career debut, would partner with Touchuponastar once again on Saturday and the duo will break from post three.

Claimed in August at Saratoga for $35,000, Jordan Wycoff’s Money Supply finished second in his first try for the new barn, but he’s since rattled off five consecutive wins, including the locally run Claiming Crown Jewel on Dec. 2 and most recently the Mineshaft (G3), also at Fair Grounds.

Sent off at odds of 9-1 over a track rated as sloppy in the Mineshaft, Money Supply rated mid-pack behind the hot pace set by the favored Best Actor. All in midway through the far turn, the Joe Sharp-trainee sustained his bid all the way to the wire, edging the suborn pacesetter by a head to earn his first career graded stakes win. Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard for the Mineshaft score, has the return call and the duo will break from post five at 9-2 in the morning line.

            Sent off as the 3-5 favorite in the Mineshaft, Steve Moger’s Best Actor did all the dirty work, battling through a rigorous opening half mile of 46.97. He shook off the pesky presser Dubyuhnell on the far turn and dug in gamely, only to lose the narrow decision.

“He’s doing great,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He always lets you know when he’s ready to run. We missed a little time with him when we first got down here. He was doing really well when he ran in the Mineshaft and we like what we’ve seen from him since. A little bit deeper race, a little more pace this time around, but he’s doing well. If he gets the right set-up. I’m not sure if he’ll make the lead but he’ll be close. Flavien (Prat) knows him well from riding down here and in New York. I expect him to run big.”

The 5-year-old son of Flatter won the Smarty Jones (G3) as a 3-year-old and he placed in both the Indiana Derby (G3) and Oklahoma Derby (G3) that same season for trainer Brad Cox. Flavien Prat, who has been aboard Best Actor in his last three starts, gets the call from post nine aboard the 7-2 second choice in the morning line.

Here is the complete field for the New Orleans Classic from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): 1. Red Route One, a career earner of over $1.2 million; (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen, 6-1); 2. Gasoline, a four-time winner who got his first graded stakes placing in the Mineshaft last out (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher, 8-1 ML); 3. Touchuponastar (Timothy Thornton, Jeff Delhomme, 3-1); 4. Black Belt, winner of a second-level optional claiming allowance last out at Gulfstream (Brian Hernandez, Jr., Peter Walder, 10-1); 5. Money Supply (Tyler Gaffalione, Joe Sharp, 9-2) 6. Happy American, a G3 winner who finished 3rd in the Stephen Foster (G1) last year (Corey Lanerie, Neil Pessin, 30-1); 7. Super Cortino (Arg), a group 1 winner in his native Chile who was last seen finishing up the track in the 2023 Dubai World Cup (G1) (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Ignacio Correas IV, 12-1); 8. Velocitor, a recent upset winner of a second-level optional claiming allowance at Fair Grounds (David Cohen, Gary Scherer, 10-1); 9. Best Actor (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox, 7-2); and 10. Lure Him In, recently second behind Black Belt in a second-level optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream (Edwin Gonzales, Saffie Joseph, Jr., 10-1)

With a post time of 4:04 p.m. CT, the New Orleans Classic (G2) presented by Relyne GI by Hagyard is scheduled as the 9th of 12 races and is one of eight stakes on Saturday’s “Louisiana Derby Day” card. With $3 million in purses up for grabs, the program also features the TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) presented by Fasig-Tipton — 100-50-25-15-10 points races on the Road to the 150th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and the Longines Kentucky Oaks. First post is noon CT.

Ova Charged Won 2023 Louisiana Champions Day Sprint

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Due to a production error, the Louisiana Horse article on Ova Charged got dropped from the magazine article about Louisiana Champions Day. Our sincerest apologies to Evelyn Benoit, Brittlyn Stables, Shane Wilson and J A Guerrero. Below is the section on Ova Charged that should have been included in the magazine.