In addition to the Louisiana Derby Day races, Fair Grounds held six stakes for Accredited Louisiana-breds closing weekend, Saturday, March 25, and Sunday March 26.
Watch highlights and post race interviews below
Crescent City Derby
Allnight Moonlight
Ransom the Moon–Gingertini, by Medaglia d’Oro
O–Roger G. Smith, B–Coteau Grove Farms, LLC (LA), T–Ron Faucheux, J–Florent Geroux
Crescent City Oaks
Star Moment
Star Guitar–Moment of Majesty, by Saint Liam
O–Intrepid Thoroughbreds LLC, B–Brittlyn, Inc. (LA), T–Ron Faucheux, J–Corey J. Lanerie
Costa Rising Stakes
Big Chopper
Shackleford–Miss Well Molded, by Unusual Heat
O–Kendel D. Standlee, B–Kendel Standlee (LA), T–Scott Gelner, J–Corey J. Lanerie
Star Guitar Stakes
Touchuponastar
Star Guitar–Touch Magic, by Lion Heart
O–Set-Hut LLC, B–Coteau Grove Farms, LLC (LA), T–Jeff Delhomme, J–Timothy Thornton
Page Cortez Stakes
First I’ve Seen
Astrology–Correct Call, by Consolidator
O–Tom Curtis, B–Tom Curtis & Wayne Simpson (LA), T–Victor Arceneaux, J– Casey Fusilier
Shantel Lanerie Memorial Stakes
Nosilverspoonshere
Connect–Grand Style, by Giant’s Causeway
O–Rocket Ship Racing, LLC, B–Gulf Coast Stables LLC (LA), T–Thomas M. Amoss, J–Corey J. Lanerie
FREE LIKE A GIRL SURPASSES $800,000 IN EARNINGS WHILE WINNING THE DISTAFF
VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted its richest program of the season on Saturday evening as the 20th edition of Louisiana Premier Night took center stage. The 12-race program featured 10 stakes races and $980,000 in total purse money for Louisiana-bred horses.
The featured race on the program was the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship. The favorite, Touchuponastar did not disappoint in the race, winning easily under jockey Tim Thorton, who notched a pair of wins on the rich program.
Touchuponastar, who is owned by retired NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme’s Set Hut Stables and trained by Jeff Delhomme, was expected to set the pace in the 1 1-16-mile test for 4-year-olds and up, but an early lead was not in the cards as Brian’s Iron Mike shot to the front in the initial strides after Touchuponastar stumbled when the gates opened.
Thornton appeared to struggle with his mount early after a rough start, but he settled down and angled off the rail entering the first turn of the two-turn race. The opening quarter mile was clicked off in 23.65 seconds by Brian’s Iron Mike while Thornton guided his mount into a stalking position onto the backstretch. When the half-mile was reached in 47.47, Brian’s Iron Mike was feeling the pressure from Touchuponastar and eventually gave way to the eventual winner, who clicked off a rapid time of 1:12.89 for three quarters.
Turning for home the outcome was never in doubt, as Touchuponastar increased his lead and cruised to a final winning margin of 2-1/2 lengths over late runner Behemah Star, while recording a final time of 1:45.53. Ballinonabudjet wound up third, another three lengths behind the runner-up.
After the race, Thornton raved about Touchuponastar, whom he has ridden in all but one of his seven career starts.
“He’s a class act; does everything you ask of him,” stated the winning rider. “He stumbled out of the gate, but I was never worried.”
Touchuponastar has now won four consecutive races and five-of-seven starts overall. He banked another $90,000 for the win on Saturday and his earnings now stand at $253,100.
Bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms, Touchuponastar is a 4-year-old gelding by Star Guitar, out of the Lion Heart mare Touch Magic. He was purchased for $15,000 as yearling.
Sent off at odds of 6-5 by the fans, Touchuponastar returned $4.40 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.10 to show. Behemah Star was worth $3.20 to place and $2.60 to show. Ballinonabudjet paid $2.80 to show.
In other action on Louisiana Premier Night, Free Like a Girl won the $125,000 Distaff under jockey Pedro Cotto, Jr. for trainer Chasey Deville Pomier. The multiple graded stakes placed 4-year-old filly notched her 11thwin from 23 career starts in the race for owners Gerald Bruno, Jr., Carl J. Deville, Chasey Deville Pomier and Jerry Caroom. The $75,000 winner’s paycheck raised Free Like a Girl’s lifetime bankroll up to $829,878.
Race favorite Bron and Brow used a rail-skimming trip up jockey Rey Gutierrez to claim victory in the $100,000 Sprint. The Mark Casse trainee was well behind the leaders early in the five-furlong affair but found a seam on the inside of leader Takes Two to Tango in the stretch before drawing clear to win easily. Bron and Brow, a 4-year-old by Gormley, is owned by Gary Barber and has now won five-of-11 starts while earning $284,670.
Alpine Mist made her stakes debut a winning one in the $100,000 Starlet on Louisiana Premier Night. Under jockey Vicente Del Cid, Alpine Mist pulled the upset at odds of 11-1 for owner/breeder Melissa Cantacuzene and trainer J. Luis Garcia. Alpine Mist, a 3-year-old filly, is now a perfect three-for-three in her career and has earned $108,600.
The $100,000 Prince wasn’t without controversy this year as Allied Racing Stables’ gelding Jack Hammer made it to the wire first in the one-mile test for 3-year-olds but had to survive a jockey’s objection from C. J. McMahon, who rode runner-up Marks Promise. The objection was eventually disallowed, and the W. Bret Calhoun trainee was declared the official winner. Jack Hammer is now undefeated in his three-race career and banked $60,000 for his victory on Saturday night. His fledgling bankroll now stands at $157,755.
This year’s $100,000 Matron featured a dramatic photo finish between Snowball and Ova Charged, who hit the finished line together. After the image was examined by the placing judges, the tote board displayed a dead heat for the win.
Snowball’s effort earned her the eighth victory of her career from 47 overall starts. The 7-year-old mare has now won $470,370 for owner Tin Roof Farms, LLC and trainer Sam Breaux. Snowball was ridden to victory by jockey Vicente Del Cid.
Ova Charged, who was sent off was the heavy favorite while on a five-race winning streak, was ridden by jockey Jose Rodriguez. The Jose Camejo trainee is owned by Brittlyn Stables, Inc. Ova Charged has only suffered defeat once in her nine-race career, and that was in a graded stakes race at Belmont Park in July of 2021. Ova Charged has now earned $364,600 during her stellar career.
The biggest upset of the night came in the $60,000 Gentlemen Starter as Kevin Delahoussaye’s Freedomfi wore down pacesetter Doctor Leo in the stretch of the 1 1/16-mile event. Going off at odds of 31-1, the Glenn Delahoussaye trainee was ridden to victory by Tim Thornton. Freedomfi is now six-for-47 during his career, and he has earned $253,847.
The Mark Hibdon owned and trained D’wild Muffin took the $50,000 Bon Temps Starter under jockey Alex Birzer. The 9-year-old mare has now won six-of-16 career starts and has a bankroll of $114,704. Her local record at Delta Downs now stands at five wins and three seconds from 12 trips to the starting gate.
This year’s $60,000 LAPN Ladies Starter went to Zydeco Music under jockey Rey Gutierrez. The Shane Wilson trainee used a front-running trip to lead all the way before holding off a late challenge by A Wish for Madelyn, who made it close at the wire in the one-mile affair. Owned by Richard Anthony Tompkins, Zyedeco Music has now won 10-of-28 career starts and banked $204,440.
The final race on the card was the $50,000 Ragin Cajun Starter and it was won by Vanessa Motta’s Dixie Street under jockey Tracy Hebert for trainer Sean Alfortish. Dixie street went from last to first in the five-furlong sprint and has now won nine-of-33 career starts. He earned $30,000 for his win and now has a bankroll of $219,520.
Delta Downs has three weeks left in its 2022-23 season. The track will move to a 5:20 pm post time each Wednesday through Saturday until closing night on February 25.
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.
(Sunset, La.) – Grade 1 winner No Parole’s first foal, a colt, was born January 9 in Louisiana.
Bred by Coteau Grove Farms, the foal is out of the well-bred Street Sense mare Naive Enough. He is a half-brother to the promising stakes-placed 3 year old Tumbarumba, who recently ran second in the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile Stakes on December 10.
“We are so excited obviously as the breeders of No Parole himself, to also be the breeders of his first foal. He is a beautiful foal and full of energy this morning,” said Coteau Grove Farms managing partner Hunter Myers.
Coteau Grove Farms Bloodstock advisor Andrew Cary said, “We have supported No Parole with some very nice mares and will continue to do so this year and beyond. No Parole had truly elite speed and his sire Violence continues to produce top level horses every year, like Grade 1 winners Volatile and Forte among many others. He’s the only son of Violence standing in Louisiana.”
“This is a strong-bodied colt and a great advertisement for his sire. We have several more No Parole babies coming this year and are really looking forward to them. He’s off to a great start,” said assistant farm manager Jacob Cyprian.
Raced by Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin and trained by Tom Amoss, No Parole won the Woody Stephens S. (G1) in 2020 among his 6 wins in 13 career starts. He stands in partnership at Carrol Castille’s Whispering Oaks Farm in Carencro, Louisiana for $3,500 live foal stands and nurses.
Earlier this year, Louisiana-based Coteau Grove Farms received a most unexpected surprise when their mare Villa d’Este gave birth to healthy twin colts.
Before the mare foaled out, the farm had wondered why she was so large, not knowing she was carrying an additional foal. To their amazement, both foals were no worse for the wear and now, more than seven months later, the sons of Gift Box have started to grow into their skin.
Jacob Cyprian, broodmare manager at the Sunset, La., operation, witnessed the birth and has been with the colts for every step of their journey. He said they are somewhat of resident celebrities at the farm.
2-YEAR-OLD COLT SURVIVES JOCKEY OBJECTION TO SCORE FIRST STAKES WIN
Late September wins the Louisiana Legacy Stakes at Delta Downs. Coady Photography.
VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted the $100,000 Louisiana Legacy Stakes on Saturday night as the track closed out another race week in Vinton, Louisiana. The race was won by Kevin Stedman’s Late September under jockey Jose Rodriguez. The Jose Camejo trainee and his connections had to wait a while to celebrate in the winner’s circle after the race as a jockey’s objection was lodged against him by C. J. McMahon, the rider King’s Lute, who finished second. After several tense moments the claim of foul was disallowed and the win was made official.
Late September was making his first start in four months in the Legacy and was facing state-bred company for the first time. The layoff didn’t bother him as he broke sharply and settled back into fifth position early in the seven-furlong test around two turns. Meanwhile the pace was being set by Bisping who traveled the opening quarter mile in 22.73 seconds and stopped the timer in 47.24 for the half mile. The pacesetter, and wagering co-favorite along with Late September, was challenged by the eventual winner as the field entered the second turn but could not repel the challenge. Bisping would go on to finish fifth in the field of nine.
When Late September entered the final furlong he was put to the test by King’s Lute, who had rallied stoutly from the back on the pack. The pair came together in the upper-stretch before Late September pulled clear to finish a length to the good of his rival at the finish line. Boss Soss would up third, another 5-3/4 length behind the runner-up. Late September finished the race in a time of 1:28.13 over a fast track.
The win by Late September was the second of his four-race career. He earned $60,000 for the effort and now has a bankroll of $97,870.
Bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms, LLC, Late September is a 2-year-old bay colt by Munnings, out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Hello Maggie May. He was purchased at sale earlier this year for $60,000.
The wagering public who backed Late September at the windows was rewarded with payoffs of $6 to win, $4.20 to place and $3 to show. King’s Lute paid $9 to place and $5.80 to show. The Boss Soss was worth $3 to show.
For more information about the current season, visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also get information on Facebook and Twitter.
Staff at Coteau Grove Farms in Louisiana received the gift of a lifetime April 3 when their mare Villa d’Este foaled not one, but two healthy colts by Gift Box.
In the months leading up to the birth, broodmare manager Jacob Cyprian said the mare’s size had them questioning her due date.
“We’ve been looking at her since January, we knew she wasn’t due until the beginning of April … We were like, ‘Man, she’s so big,’ so we just started keeping an eye of her and started watching her,” Cyprian said. “We never knew it was twins. When she got in foal, we always thought she was just having one.”
“(We thought) the date could be wrong so we started backtracking, trying to see what was going on, and we were right (about the due date). When she started getting close, we just kept an eye on her and she was just getting real slow and real heavy. I said, ‘Well, she’s going to go soon.'”
The first mares have been confirmed in-foal to Grade I winner No Parole (Violence), Whispering Oaks Farm and Coteau Grove Farms announced Wednesday.
Among the early mares scanned in-foal include Coteau Grove’s Naive Enough (Street Sense), a full-sister to stakes- winner/Grade I-placed Light the City, who in turn is the dam of Grade I-placed Illumination, who sold for $875,000 as a broodmare prospect last year at Fasig-Tipton November.
“A mare of the quality of Naive Enough is indicative of the kind of mare we are breeding to No Parole to support him,” said Coteau Grove’s bloodstock advisor Andrew Cary. “She was a close fourth in the GII Golden Rod S. as a 2-year-old and is big, good-looking mare with a huge pedigree. She has already produced two winners and her 2-year-old is training very well in Florida right now. We have several stakes winners and stakes producers booked to No Parole and will continue to support him. Whispering Oaks is a tremendous partner in the horse and is also supporting him strongly. He has also been very well received by breeders throughout Louisiana.”
No Parole, winner of the 2020 GI Woody Stephens S., captured six of 13 starts and earned $369,866. He is standing his first season at an advertised fee of $3,500, stands and nurses.
The filly was bred by Coteau Grove Farms out of stakes winner Joanie’s Catch.
Lane’s End’s grade 1 winner Honor A. P. sired his first reported foal Jan. 27 at Coteau Grove Farms near Sunset, La. Bred by Coteau Grove, the filly is out of multiple graded-placed stakes winner Joanie’s Catch.
“The resemblance of this filly to her sire is uncanny, right down to her four white socks,” said Andrew Cary, Coteau Grove Farms’ bloodstock adviser. “There is no doubt about who her sire is. Honor A. P. was right up there with the best of his generation, and we likely only saw a fraction of what he was capable of. We have two more mares due to foal to Honor A. P., including a mare who produced a $400,000 Saratoga yearling for us.”
“This filly is really nice, she has good size and a great shape to her with a beautiful head,” said Coteau Grove’s broodmare manager Jacob Cyprian
With the 2022 breeding season right around the corner, we will feature a series of breeders’ mating plans over the coming weeks. Today we have Andrew Cary, bloodstock agent for Coteau Grove Farms.
Coteau Grove Farms took home two mares in foal to Spendthrift Farm’s Authenticfrom the first session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale Jan. 11, hoping to cash in big on the 2020 Horse of the Year, whose first foals are due this year.
Authentic led first-season stallions as a covering sire in 2021 with an average of $408,542 from 24 mares sold, and continued that momentum Tuesday. Late in the session, Cary Bloodstock’s Andrew Cary signed the ticket as agent for the second time for Coteau Grove, which went to $350,000 for Call to Service (Hip 424). The 6-year-old To Honor and Serve mare was consigned by Sequel New York, agent. She is out of Game for More (More Than Ready), whose current 3-year-old, Giant Game, was third in the Nov. 5 TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) at Del Mar. Game for More has also produced Isotherm, a multiple graded stakes winner, and grade 1-placed Gio Game.
Bred by Coteau Grove Farms, the foal is out of the well-bred Street Sense mare Naive Enough. He is a half-brother to the promising stakes-placed 3 year old Tumbarumba, who recently ran second in the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile Stakes on December 10.
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