Category: Allied Racing Stable

“Hammer Time” in the Eddie Johnston as Jack Hammer Dominates

louisianathoroughbred
Jack Hammer with jockey Reylu Gutierrez aboard pulls away from the field to win the 44th running of the $100,000 Edward J. Johnston Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Amanda Hodges Weir

Allied Racing Stable’s Jack Hammer dominated the $100,000 Edward J. Johnston Memorial, beating eight older statebred males by 8 1/2 lengths on Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Never being menaced by the second-place finisher and 4-5 favorite Behemah Star, the 4-year-old gelding now has a freshman, sophomore, and older stake win on his resume.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, the son of Jimmy Creed out of Lipstick Junky received the services of his regular pilot Reylu Gutierrez. With the day’s races taken off the turf, Jack Hammer went 1 mile 70 yards in 1:41.67 over a main track labeled “muddy.”

“That’s always the question: can they develop to the next level against older company?” Gutierrez said. “Bret (Calhoun) and his staff have done a tremendous job. Chester (Thomas, owner) and Bret gave him some time off, and he grew up. Credit to Brett, Janine, Mike and the crew. Jack Hammer has taken a step forward. Bret told me not to mess it up and I guess I didn’t mess it up.”

Calicoco was hustled hard to beat Jack Hammer to the lead out of the gates. Content to track in second, Jack Hammer left Calicoco alone as the front runner traveled through opening fractions of :23.76 and :47.41. After settling in sixth, Behemah Star began to run in the far turn but by then Jack Hammer had blitzed to the front and opened up an insurmountable lead. Wise Verdict ran steadily throughout to maintain third. Jack Hammer’s stablemate Who Took the Money, also owned by Allied Racing Stable, ran late for fourth.

“We were hoping it would be on the turf,” Chester Thomas of Allied Racing said. “We wanted to see how (Jack Hammer) would do on the turf; he’s bred for it. He’s been a real pleasure, very professional, a really cool horse. I want to give Bret and his team a lot of credit. They’ve done a beautiful job. Rey knows the horse well. It was ‘hammer time’ today.”

With an all-or-nothing lifetime record of 8-6-0-0, Jack Hammer added $60,000 winning the Eddie Johnston to bring his bankroll to $291,255. He now has three wins from four tries at the 2023 – 2024 meet.

“He had a little injury that made us give him some time off and he came back really, really well,” Calhoun said. “He’s one of those who went forward and he looks like he might be a better older horse. This horse does have a lot of breeding for the grass and we hope to have options where we can hit both spots.”

Jack Hammer cashed at $7.20, $3.40, and $2.60.

September Calendar of Events from the LTBA

louisianathoroughbred
 Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association would like to share the following list of dates of interest to Louisiana horsemen and women.

Brought to you by Whispering Oaks Farm,  Breeders Sales of Louisiana and Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association. Click images to link to more information

September 2

  • Super Derby, Louisiana Downs

 

September 4

  • Labor Day

 

September 9

  • National Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Assoc. (TOBA) Awards ceremony.  Allied Racing Stable to be honored as the recipients of the 2022 TOBA Award for the State of Louisiana.

 

September 11

  • Patriot Day

 

September 12

  • Louisiana Downs, final day of 2023 Thoroughbred Meet

 

September 23

  • Fall Equinox

 

September 27

  • Pre-Sale Party and LTBA PAC Fundraiser, 5:30 p.m. Equine Sales Facility, Opelousas, Louisiana

 

September 28

  • Breeders Sales Company of Louisiana 2023 Yearling Sale followed by Mixed Session 10:00 a.m., Equine Sales Facility, Opelousas, Louisiana

 

Would you like to sponsor a newsletter? Reach @ 2,500 readers.Please contact Linda 504-460-5518, linda@louisianabred.com or Roger 504-947-4676, roger@louisianabred.com for cost and availability.

Do you have a date pertaining to Louisiana-breds that you would like included in an upcoming calendar? Please contact Linda 985-386-0360, linda@louisianabred.comor Roger 504-947-4676, roger@louisianabred.com for consideration.

 

Any questions or need more info call

Roger A. Heitzmann III, Secretary/Treasurer

Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association

504-947-4676

Who Took the Money storms home in rescheduled LA Champions Day Turf Classic

louisianathoroughbred
Who Took The Money with Deshawn Parker aboard wins the 31st running of the Louisiana Champions Day Turf at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.

Who Took the Money Welcomes a Return to Grass

Even though he had won three of his last five starts on dirt, Allied Racing Stable’s Who Took the Money welcomed a return to grass, winning the rescheduled $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf in high-stepping fashion for trainer Bret Calhoun and jockey Deshawn Parker.

Touchuponastar, who posted an upset over the 1-2 favorite in the Champions Day Classic on dirt, was scratched from Saturday’s Turf, opening the door for Who Took the Money to make amends. With the rails 34 feet out and longshots Play Mo and Charlie G in chase mode, Maga Man dictated early terms through tough to gauge fractions of :25.09 and :52.90. Meanwhile, 2-5 favorite Who Took the Money bided his time in sixth while in the clear. The race began to fall apart on the turn for home, and Who Took the Money displayed his patented late kick. Eventual second and third place finishers Smarty Alex and Ballinonabudjet also ran on well late, but the favorite prevailed by 2 ½ lengths in 1:50.59 for 1 1/16 miles.

“He has a really big turn of foot on the turf,” Parker said. “He has it on the dirt too, but on the turf it just feels totally different. I let him do his own thing. He tells me what to do. Turning for home he’ll kick it in gear himself. I really don’t have to do anything. I just let him do his thing and stay out of his way.”

Calhoun agreed.

“I think we had overstayed our welcome on the dirt a little bit,” Calhoun said. “He ran well, very consistent, but I think he had enough of it after the last time out (third in the LA Classic). I was happy to get back on the grass. It’s his much preferred surface. We are going to try to keep him on the grass in the Louisiana program for as long as we can. After that, we may have go to the open horses a little bit at some point. He’s kind of his own worst enemy. Like Deshawn (jockey Parker) said, he kind of does things his own way. If he gets a little bit better mentally, he might be a really good older horse.”

Who Took the Money returned $2.80 for the win. His record now stands at 15-10-0-3 with $469,177 in the bank.

Jack Hammer wins Louisiana Futurity (colts and geldings)

louisianathoroughbred
Alied Racing Stable’s Jack Hammer wins the 59th running of the Louisiana Futurity – Colt and Gelding Division at Fair Grounds.  Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.

 

Allied Racing’s homebred Jack Hammer pressed outside Z Resurrection and overcame a green stretch run to win the $100,000 Louisiana Futurity (boys) by 2 1/4 lengths. Beating a field of seven 2-year-olds, Jack Hammer notched win number 19 for trainer Brett Calhoun who has an impressive eight-win lead in the trainer standings after scoring earlier on the card with Kupuna.

Jack Hammer ran the six furlongs in 1:12.14 across a track listed as good. Rey Gutierrez piloted Jack Hammer, earning his 24th win on the meet and securing his place at the top the jockey standings.

The field broke cleanly and Jack Hammer emerged from the group, but his inside foe Z Resurrection hustled out to take the lead along the rail running the opening fractions in :22.16 and :46.37 as Jack Hammer settled to his immediate outside. With little change in position throughout the race, the two front runners remained engaged as Calicoco and King’s Lute dueled for third behind them. Jack Hammer wandered greenly but summoned a powerful kick to draw clear of Z Resurrection in the final sixteenth. King’s Lute kept the advantage over Calicoco to finish third in front of that foe.

“He’s a little better on dirt and an off track, so I was kind of hoping this (washed off the turf) would happen,” Williamson admitted. “We were tracking the weather forecast and it came out in our favor. This horse is bred for turf and he’s run well on it, but you just never really know. His last couple numbers (speed figures) on the dirt were very good.”

Jack Hammer is a son of Jimmy Creed out of the Flatter mare Lipstick Junky and was bred in Louisiana by owner Allied Racing. The two-time winner returned $3.40, $2.60 and $2.20 as the 3-5 favorite.

“They’ve got a great breeding program here in Louisiana,” Chester Thomas of Allied Racing said. “We’ve got Mr. Money standing down here at Clear Creek now. Bret (Calhoun) is off to an awfully good start at the meet. We’ve got a couple seconds that we are hopeful can turn to wins. Bret and Reylu (jockey) are on fire, we are just happy to be a part of it.”

Stiff Drink, Ranch Water, and Flash N Class completed the order of finish. Steauxlit was scratched.

Jack Hammer netted $60,000 and now boasts career earnings of $90,000 from a record of 2-2-0 in 2 starts.

“This is a nice horse,” Calhoun said. “We’ve liked him from very early on. He’s still very green and inexperienced, but we think he has a very bright future ahead of him.”

Highland Creek Holds Off Ballinonabudjet To Take The Boyd Rewards Stakes at Delta Downs

louisianathoroughbred

W. BRET CALHOUN TRAINEE WINS FIRST STAKES RACE OF HIS CAREER 

 

Highland Creek wins the 2022 Boyd Rewards Stakes. Coady Photography.

VINTON, LA. – Allied Racing Stables, LLC’s Highland Creek used a perfect trip to hold off favored Ballinonabudjet in Friday night’s featured $70,000 Boyd Rewards Stakes under jockey C. J. McMahon. In the process the W. Bret Calhoun trainee notched the first stakes win of his 17-race career.

Breaking from post position four in a seven-horse field, Highland Creek settled off the pace set by longshot Doctor Leo, who went the opening quarter mile in 23.96 and the half mile in 48.95. As the field entered the second turn of the 7 ½-furlong test for 3-year-old and up Louisiana-breds, McMahon asked his mount to rally from just off the pace and he responded by taking a clear lead entering the upper-stretch.

Inside the final furlong a stout challenge was mounted by race favorite Ballinonabudjet, who took an inside path and ran at the leader with abandon. At the finish line Highland Creek proved a head better than his rival while Venn wound up another two lengths behind the top pair in third. Highland Creek covered the distance over a good track in a time of 1:32.92.

Highland Creek earned $42,000 for his win and now has a career bankroll of $253,081. His overall record includes five wins, five seconds and one third from 17 trips to the starting gate.

Bred in Louisiana by J. Adcock and Neal McFadden, Highland Creek is a 4-year-old bay gelding by Broken Vow, out of the Mizzen Mast mare Mizzenway.

Sent to the gate as the second choice of the wagering public, Highland Creek paid $5.80 to win, $3 to place and $2.40 to show. Ballinonabudjet returned $2.60 to place and $2.20 to show. Venn was worth $3 to show.

 

Lovin’ Louisiana

louisianathoroughbred

Kentuckian Chester Thomas is bullish on Louisiana breeding and

 racing, and he’s bringing in a new stallion to the state to prove it

 

Download Article

 

Who Took the Money’s Big Kick Too Much in Scott’s Scoundrel

louisianathoroughbred
Who Took The Money wins the 1st running of the Scott’s Scoundrel Stakes at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Jan Brubaker

Proving yet again to have the most deft late-kick in Louisiana, Allied Racing Stable’s Who Took the Money won the $75,000 Scott’s Scoundrel for older state-bred routers on day two of Louisiana Champions Preview Weekend at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

In a field full of dangerous front runners, it was Big Chopper who made the lead over a track labeled sloppy. Pressed by Allied Racing’s Highland Creek through opening fractions of 23.66 and 46.77, Big Chopper capitulated the lead to Highland Creek as Brittlyn Stable’s Behemah Star came forward from third. As the .90-1 favorite, Who Took the Money rounded the second turn and began to unleash. Behemah Star grinded past Highland Creek for a temporary lead but he could not match strides with jockey Deshawn Parker and Who Took the Money late, as he bounded home to score by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:42.09 for 1 mile 70 yards. Behemah Star and Highland Creek dug in to hold second and third, respectively.

“That big kick, I tell you,” Deshawn Parker said. “You never think he is going to fire and then he takes off. I just do what he wants me to do. You can tap him down the backside, and he doesn’t give you nothing. As soon as you turn for home, you tap him, he just takes off.”

With this win, Who Took the Money has a 13-9-0-2 record and $392,677 to prove it. If this 4-year-old holds his form, Who Took the Money will be tough to handle on Louisiana Champions Day (Dec 10).

TO THE VICTORS GO THE SPOILS

louisianathoroughbred

2022 Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association Annual Awards Banquet Honoring the 2021 Accredited Louisiana Bred Champions and their Connections

 

Download Article