Category: Chester Thomas

Jack Hammer wins Louisiana Futurity (colts and geldings)

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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.”

Mr. Money relocates to Louisiana’s Clear Creek Stud

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Mr. Money relocates to Louisiana’s Clear Creek Stud

‘I’m hoping a lot of people cash in on Mr. Money in Louisiana, me included’

(Photo: Mr. Money/Tandra Downs)

FOLSOM, La. (Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022) — Owner Chester Thomas is following the money: In this case, moving his five-time graded-stakes winner Mr. Money as a stallion from Florida to Louisiana’s Clear Creek Stud for the 2023 breeding season.

Thomas bred 24 mares to Mr. Money in 2021, with 16 foaling in Louisiana this year while they also remain eligible for Florida’s stallion stakes series. Thomas bred 20 mares to Mr. Money this breeding season.

Spendthrift Farm also is a partner in Mr. Money.

A fan of the Louisiana breeding program and racing in the Pelican State, Thomas decided to go all in by relocating Mr. Money to Clear Creek Stud near Folsom. With the breeding industry getting revenue from the state’s legalized sports wagering, the purses for Louisiana-foaled and Louisiana-sired horses are expected to explode. In addition, historical horse racing gaming terminals, which are being installed at tracks and their off-track-betting facilities, will boost purses for all horses racing in the state.

“I just really like the way the Louisiana program is heading,” said Thomas. “I think Mr. Money has everything it takes to be a successful sire, and I believe having him at a top farm in a growing regional market gives him the best chance to show what he can do. Most of my horses race in New Orleans in the winter anyway, and I’m sure going to have a lot of Louisiana-bred Mr. Money babies. I thought I might just as well take advantage of having Louisiana-sired as well as Louisiana-born Mr. Moneys.

“We think he will excel in Louisiana. They have one of the best — if not the best — breeding programs outside of Kentucky. I’m hoping a lot of people cash in on Mr. Money in Louisiana, me included. It’s exciting to have him there with such good people as those at Clear Creek.”

Mr. Money, out of the Tiznow mare Plenty O’Toole, is the son of two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents and grandson of international super-sire Into Mischief. He won six of 18 starts, including the Grade 3 quintet of the Pat Day Mile, Matt Winn, Indiana Derby and West Virginia Derby as a 3-year-old and Churchill Downs’ Ack Ack at 4. Mr. Money’s earnings of $1.36 million include finishing second by a neck in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby. He was fourth in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs off of his maiden victory.

Among the horses that Mr. Money defeated on the racetrack were future Horse of the Year Knicks Go, Preakness winner War of Will and Grade 1 winners Improbable, Spun to Run, Mind Control, Math Wizard and Hog Creek Hustle.

“Mr. Money was an unbelievable racehorse,” Thomas said. He beat a multitude of Grade 1 horses that year, just got a little unlucky and didn’t get the Grade 1 himself. His babies are coming out and are looking like stone-cold runners. They’ve got a lot of leg and their physicals are unbelievable. I’m very, very excited with what we’re seeing.”

Mr. Money’s third-year stud fee will be $3,500 if paid by Sept. 1 or $4,000 live foal. A limited number of lifetime breeding rights are available.

Clear Creek Stud is one of Louisiana’s premier stallion operations, including standing leading Louisiana sire Star Guitar.

“Mr. Money is a very attractive individual,” said Clear Creek general manager Val Murrell, who has been at the breeding farm since 1977. “He’s put together well, which likely explains how he held together so well while successfully competing in top company, retiring clean and sound. Talent and longevity are super significant.

“He complements an already strong roster. It’s a known sire line. Everybody knows Goldencents and Into Mischief. That’s going to appeal to our breeders. He was very successful at middle distances and beyond. Just as important around here is speed, and he had speed. I’ve seen some of his foals that were conceived in Florida. They’re a pretty impressive group. Muscle, bone, balance, put together very well. That goes a long ways. People get to see those, and that will make a difference.  He’s an exciting addition to a pretty great Louisiana program.”

Media contact:

Val Murrell, general manager

Clear Creek Stud

(985) 796-5563

info@clearcreekstud.com
Chester Thomas’ Mr. Money filly out of Very Cherry. Tandra Downs photo
Mr. Money colt out of the Uncle Mo mare Mo Gayle. Tandra Downs photo
Chester Thomas’ Mr. Money winning the Grade 3 Ack Ack as a 4-year-old at Churchill Downs under Gabe Saez. Coady Photography
Mr. Money winning the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park, one of four straight graded stakes he won at 3. Coady Photography

WHO TOOK THE MONEY CHARGES TO VICTORY IN THE $60,000 EVANGELINE DOWNS CLASSIC

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ALLIED RACING STABLE RUNNERS COMPLETE WEEKEND STAKES SWEEP

 

Who Took The Money wins the $60,000 EVD Classic. Coady Photography.

 

OPELOUSAS, LA –Deshawn Parker capped off a big weekend stakes sweep with a victory aboard Who Took the Money in the $60,000 EVD Classic at Evangeline Downs on Saturday night.   The race for 4-year-old and up Louisiana-bred runners was contested at the distance of one mile over a track rated fast.

 

Father Goose and Maga Man both broke sharply and set off in a spirited duel into the clubhouse turn.  Highland Creek and Drewhustle were on the chase, while Who Took the Money was allowed to relax near the back of the field.  The opening quarter-mile was covered in a swift 23.36 seconds, and the early battle continued through a half-mile in 46.55 seconds.  As the field moved through the far turn, Highland Creek, the other Allied Racing Stables, LLC (Chester Thomas) runner in the field, was in a striking position just behind the leaders, while Relentless Dancer ranged up with a wide bid.  Deshawn Parker and Who Took the Money were just starting to begin their run but were still seventh as the field move past six furlongs in 1:12.00 seconds.

 

As the field moved to the top of the lane, Highland Creek surged to the lead, Venn was moving through some traffic, while Who Took the Money was gaining with a six-wide move.  At the furlong marker Highland Creek was 1-1/2 lengths in front, but stablemate Who Took the Money was moving fastest in the center of the racetrack.  The two Bret Calhoun trainees were well clear of the field in the final yards, with Who Took the Money rushing past for a ½-length victory.  Runner-up Highland Creek was 3-1/2 lengths clear of the third-place finisher Venn.  The final time for the mile was 1:37.90 seconds.

 

Who Took the Money earned $36,000 for the victory, his seventh from 11 career starts.  The winning purse increased his lifetime earnings to $286,677.

 

The 4-year-old gelding was bred in Louisiana by Allied Racing Stable, LLC.  Sired by Street Boss, the chestnut is out of the Speightstown mare Speights’ Colony.

 

Who Took the Money, sent off as the wagering favorite, rewarded backers with a $4.40 win price, $2.60 to place and $2.40 to show.  Highland Creek paid $3.60 to place and $2.60 to show.  Venn, the longest shot on the board at 41-1, paid $7.80 to show.

 

Live racing resumes on Wednesday with a 5:30pm first post.  The Evangeline Downs Thoroughbred season runs on a Wednesday thru Saturday schedule until August 27.

 

Leading Owner Brittlyn Stables Ends Season with a Bang

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Evelyn Benoit & trainer Jose Camejo win two stakes on closing day

(New Orleans, Louisiana – Sunday, March 27, 2022) – In a banner season that saw her top the owner’s standings with 22 wins, eight more than her closest pursuer Allied Racing Stables, Evelyn Benoit’s Brittlyn Stables won a pair of $75,000 stakes on closing day at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. She took the Page Cortez Memorial with Ova Charged, and fittingly, the Star Guitar with a son of that stallion, Behemah Star. Both horses are trained by Jose Camejo.

All 22 of Benoit’s meet wins were by horses sired by Star Guitar, whom she stands at Clear Creek Stud in Louisiana for $7,500 per live foal. With 27 wins from 100 starts, Camejo finished seventh in the trainer’s standings.

In the Page Cortez, which is named for the longtime Louisiana senator, the .60-1 favorite Ova Charged, dominated from start to finish. In what was her turf debut and first start since her Louisiana Champions Day victory in the Ladies Sprint on December 11, the 4-year-old daughter of Star Guitar was pressed early by Offspring through early fractions of 22.47 and 46.46. She put that foe away at the top of the stretch and was not menaced thereafter, stopping the timer in 1:04.44 for 5 ½ furlongs on firm turf with the rails down, even jumping a shadow in the stretch along the way. Defeated by seven lengths, Offspring held off Snowball by a nose for second.

It was the third consecutive win and fifth in six starts for Ova Charged, with her only defeat coming behind Super Sensational in the Victory Ride (G3) last summer at Belmont. The career bankroll now stands a $219,600.

One race later, Behemah Star scored a mild upset at 9.30-1 in the Star Guitar for Brittlyn Stables and Camejo, defeating a pair of Allied Racing Stable runners in Highland Creek and .90-1 favorite Who Took the Money. Earlier in the day, Chester Thomas (Allied Racing Stable) scored a stakes win of his own with trainer Bret Calhoun, taking the $75,000 Shantel Lanerie Memorial with his homebred Winning Romance.