Solid Nominations for the Six Stakes for Louisiana Thoroughbreds
Bossier City, LA – The momentum is building for Louisiana Cup Day on Saturday, August 6 at Louisiana Downs with post time set for 1:45 pm (Central). Plenty of activities are planned for the day that salutes Louisiana Thoroughbreds. Seven races will be contested including six stakes, all with purses of $67,000. The draw for the six features on Louisiana Cup Day will take place on Saturday, July 30. The stakes are as follows:
$67,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile 2 YO LA-Bred 5 ½ furlongs
$67,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies 2 YO Fillies LA-Bred 5 ½ furlongs
$67,000 Louisiana Cup Filly & Mare Sprint 3 YO & Up F&M, LA-Bred Six furlongs
$67,000 Louisiana Cup Sprint 3 YO & Up LA-Bred Six furlongs
$67,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic 3 YO & Up LA-Bred 1 1/16 miles (T)
$67,000 Louisiana Cup Distaff 3 YO & Up F & M LA-Bred 1 1/16 miles (T)
Trainer Allen Landry Pointing Five Including Net a Bear to Cup Day
Each of the Louisiana racetracks host a stakes day saluting Louisiana Thoroughbreds. Last Saturday, was Louisiana Legends Night at Evangeline Downs. One very familiar Louisiana-bred mare, Net a Bear did not disappoint as the favorite in the $75,000 Turf Distaff. With Tim Thornton aboard, the 6-year-old daughter of Awesome Bet made her usual late run and drew off tin the one-mile turf stakes, winning by 1 ¼ lengths.
Bred by Lora Pitre and Elaine Carroll, Net a Bear is owned by Maximo Lamarche and Federico Deltoro and trained by Allen Landry.Since she began her career in 2018, the bay mare, versatile on turf or dirt, has won 12 of her 33 lifetime starts and following the victory at Evangeline Downs, upped her earnings to $615,970. Her first stakes win came at Louisiana Downs when she captured the 2019 Elge Rasberry and she was a convincing winning last year in the Louisiana Cup Distaff. Remarkably, Net a Bear has been a stakes winner at each of the four Louisiana racetracks and will defend her title in the Louisiana Cup Day Distaff.
“She’s tough as hell,” said Landry. “Even when she gets in trouble, she gets clear and gives it her all. She just has an incredible turn of foot!”
He likes his chances with Vodka Gimlet for owner Ellen Epstein in the Louisiana Cup Turf Classic and feels that World War IV Racing’s Ranch Water is poised for a good effort in the Louisiana Cup Juvenile.
“He won his first time out, despite breaking in the air and getting shuffled back” explained Landry. “When he circled the field and came running, we thought he had something special.”
Landry has been prominent on Louisiana Cup, with victories by Chu Chu’s Legacy in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile and Rodney Verret’s Laughingsaintssong who won the Louisiana Cup Day Sprint in 2019 and 2020.
“We just ran him for a tag on July 25,” said Landry. “He’s getting older, but ran a game third.”
But no chance of Landry dropping Net a Bear anytime in her racing career.
“We plan on running her through the end of the year and then she will be pointed to her second career as a broodmare,” he stated.
Free Like a Girl to Return in the Louisiana Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
2021 Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association (LTBA) Champion 2-year-old filly Free Like a Girl will return to Louisiana Downs on Cup Day to run in the six-furlong Louisiana Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
Her unique story began when she was in foal to a mare named Flashy Prize. Retired jockey Kim Renee Stover and her sister, Lisa Osborne were able to purchase the mare for just $500. She foaled at Stover’s farm in Starks, Louisiana on February 24, 2019.
Free Like a Girl was sent to Carl Deville and his daughter, Chasey Deville Pomier and began her racing career for owner Gerald Bruno, Jr., running second in open company at Lone Star Park.
On July 9 at Evangeline Downs, Free Like a Girl notched her first win. Pedro Cotto, Jr. had the call and has remained her rider to date. Despite a poor break in the $50,000 Louisiana Juvenile Fillies on August 21 at Louisiana Downs, in which she spotted her rivals by ten lengths, she rallied for third. Free Like a Girl sparkled in the $60,000 D.S. Shine Young Futurity on September 21 at Evangeline Downs and won back-to back stakes at Delta Downs. She dominated nine rivals in the $100,000 Louisiana Jewel on October 22 and scored another impressive victory one month later in the $100,000 My Trusty Cat Stakes.
Her final two starts of 2021 came at Fair Grounds where she ran second in the $100,000 Louisiana Lassie on Champions Day. But she left no doubt as to who was best 2-year-old filly the $109,600 Louisiana Futurity. The bay filly quickly took command, extending her lead andcrossing the wire of the six furlong feature by 6 ¼ lengths in a final time of 1:11.11.
Free Like a Girl began her 3-year-old campaign on February 5 with a gate-to-wire romp on Louisiana Premier Day at Delta Downs, winning the $100,000 Starlet by four lengths. Her connections sent her to Oaklawn Park where she ran fourth in the Grade 3, $300,000 Honeybee on February 26 to the much heralded Secret Oath.
“There were people who disagreed with her running outside of Louisiana, but she deserved a chance,” said Stover. “We were not embarrassed.”
After winning the $75,000 Louisiana Legends Soiree at Evangeline Downs, Free Like a Girl ran a credible third in the $225,000 Iowa Oaks (G3) on July 9 at Prairie Meadows.
Free Like a Girl has won seven of her 14 starts and has already banked $423,873 for owners Gerald Bruno, Jr; Carl J, Deville; Chasey Deville Pomier and Jerry Caroom.
“She came out of the race well and we are looking forward to running her at Louisiana Downs,” said Stover.
Louisiana Cup Day Festivities
Racing fans of all ages are invited to enjoy the festivities offered on August 6 at Louisiana Downs.
Family-friendly activities on the trackside apron include live music, inflatable bounce houses and water slides, face painting, and much more! Also, enjoy tasty bites from the city’s best food trucks. And don’t forget to claim your FREE $5 wager while you are there!
Handicapping Preview Show Begins at Noon on Cup Day
Louisiana Downs track announcer John McGary and regional racing publicist Martha Claussen will team up for a pre-race handicapping preview at 12:00 pm in the Inside Rail, located on the first floor of the grandstand. They will offer analysis and their selections for each of the races on the Louisiana Cup Day card. The seminar is free and open to all racing fans.
Scholarship Drawings Set for Louisiana Cup Day
The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association (LTBA) will award two (2) scholarships, each valued at $1,000, during the event.
The drawings will take place after the fifth race. The races begin at 1:45 p.m. and the student must be there to register between 12:45 p.m. and 1:45 p.m. at the designated registration booth. The requirements for the scholarship are as follows:
Must be a college student enrolled full-time for Fall 2022.
Must be in good standing with the college or university.
Must be present at the drawing location to win.
Must have university ID number or Social Security number.
The scholarship will be deposited directly into the student’s account at the college or university. The student is asked to know the name and address of the college that they are attending.
Trainer, Jockey and Owner Leaderboard
As of July 27, Shane Wilson, who was honored as 2021 Louisiana Down leading trainer, continues to top his fellow conditioners with 35wins and an impressive 64% in the money stat. Joey Foster and Greg Tracy have both saddled 20 winners with Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen in fourth place with 15 wins.
Last year’s leading jockey Carlos Lozada moved into a tie for first place in the jockey standings with Jose Guerrero. Both riders have won 55 wins since the meet began on May 7. Joel Dominguez and Alexander Castillo are tied for third with 21 wins each. Vincente Del-Cid follows with 19 wins.
Emanuel Nieves was injured two weeks ago and underwent successful surgery on July 25 to repair his broken right arm. He was in third place with 29 victories prior to the spill. We wish him a speedy recovery!
Wayne T. Davis is the leading owner with 13 wins to date. Greg Tracy is second with 10 top finishes and End Zone Athletics, Inc. Asmussen and Elite Thoroughbred Racing LLC are tied for third with six wins each.
The 2022 Thoroughbred meet at Louisiana Downs began on May 7 with live racing each Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The 84-day live racing season will conclude on September 27.
About Louisiana Downs
Located near Shreveport in Bossier City, Louisiana, Louisiana Downs opened in 1974 and is now owned by Rubico Acquisition Corporation. With annual Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing seasons, the track is committed to presenting the highest quality racing programs paired with its 150,000 square foot entertainment complex offering casino gambling, dining and plasma screen televisions for sports and simulcast racing.
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