Trainer Allen Landry Wins Two of the Six Features
Bossier City, LA – Temperatures rose into the upper 90’s Saturday afternoon at Louisiana Downs but excellent efforts were on display in each of the six black-type stakes on Louisiana Cup Day.
Driving Finish By Wholelottamo in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies
Stakes action began with the running of the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies. A very competitive field of eight accredited 2-year-old Louisiana-bred fillies entered the gate for the six furlong contest with a confident score by Wholelottamo.
Owned by Thompson Racing LLC, the daughter of Mo Tom made her Louisiana Downs debut after two starts at Lone Star Park. Tim Thornton, who is just one win away from his 2,500th career victory, guided the chestnut filly to the wire in 1:12.97, winning by a margin of 2 ½ lengths. Trainer Scott Gelner was not surprised at her victory, citing the tough company she faced in her June 5 debut.
“She ran against two really nice fillies in that race,” said Gelner. “One of them (Wicked Halo) won a Grade 2 at Saratoga. I have to give credit to my son (assistant trainer, JJ). He’s not here; he;s on vacation in the Bahamas!”
Early pacesetter Streak of Silver hung on for second under Lindey Wade, followed by Free Like a Girl and Buckely Bunny.
Bred by Cloyce C. Clark, Jr., Wholelottamo ($5.20) has now won two of her three starts and banked $57,925.
Net a Bear Turned Back Five Rivals in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Distaff
The first turf stakes of the card, the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Distaff, drew six fillies and mares who traveled a mile and one-sixteenth over the Franks Turf Course. Due to heavy rain earlier this week, it was listed as good and proved no obstacle for Net a Bear.
The 5-year-old filly by Awesome Bet out of the Eddington mare Edacious Reality, owned by Maximo Lamarche and Federico Deltoro, was the 3-2 morning line favorite. The multiple-stakes winner for breeders Lora Pitre and Elaine Carroll exited a victory in the $60,000 Opelousas Stakes at Evangeline Downs on July 2.
Tim Thornton patiently saved ground, tracking familiar foe Offspring in splits of :24.47; :49.51 and 1:14.18 before taking the lead and finishing in 1:45.01.
“She’s such a nice filly to ride,” said Thornton. “I have always ridden her with a game plan, but know she will be there when I call on her. I let her settle and when I called on her, she was game. Allen’s done a great job with her.”
Net a Bear (4.40) improved her record to seven wins from 25 starts. Her check for $30,000 increased her earnings to $352,070.
Oak Tree Stable’s Offspring completed the exacta with Fort Polk running third and Freda’s Smooth Air running fourth.
True Deal Resurgent in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile
The fourth race of the afternoon was the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile for Louisiana-bred 2-year-old colts and geldings.
Morning line favoritism in the six furlong stakes went to Norman Stables LLC True Deal, a colt by True Deal out of the Big Brown mare Hilarious Brown. Although he did not leave the gates as the favorite, he would not be denied as he closed gamely under jockey Joe Stokes to win his first career stakes.
Sent off as the third choice in the nine horse field, True Deal (12.60) finished by a neck over Family Creed in a final time of 1:12.97.
Trainer Lonnie Briley has been pleased with efforts of his colt who is sired by leading first crop Louisiana stallion El Deal.
“I’ve liked him a lot,” said Briley. “He’s easy to train and doesn’t make any mistakes. His sire is by Munnings, so even though he ran well today, I think he can go faster and should do very well either stretching out or on the turf.”
The victory marked the second win for breeder Cloyce C. Clark Jr.Tambourine Star finished third behind Family Creed with longshot Son Carlos completing the superfecta.
Chu Chu’s Legacy Earns His Second Louisiana Cup Day Score Taking the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Sprint
Allen Landry’s Chu Chu’s Legacy is no stranger to success on statebred racing stakes days. He won the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile last year and turned back a very tough field of sprinters today as he captured the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Sprint.
It was the second 2021 Louisiana Cup victory for owner/trainer Landry, who was reached by phone following the win.
“He’s just amazing,” said Landry who purchased the colt for a modest $4,000 at the Equine Sales Mixed Sale. “I was a little leary of running him against older horses, but he does everything I have asked him to do.”
Rider Joe Stokes took control at the top of the stretch and drew off to finish 1 ½ lengths ahead of Scarlettsblackjack in 1:10.79.
“He broke well and sat behind the speed,” said Stokes. “When I asked him, he just responded. He’s a hell of a horse!”
Landry’s wife Sandra named the colt after Chu Chu Perez who worked for the couple as a groom, but passed away last year.
Monte Man, who won the 2018 Louisiana Cup Sprint, ran a game third under Gerard Melancon, followed by Half Again..
Sent off at odds of 7-1, Chu Chu’s Legacy paid $15.80 for the win, which was his sixth in ten starts. With today’s winner’s share of $30,000, his earnings stand at $206,350.
Carlea’s Dream Splits Rivals in an Exciting $50,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic
The $50,000 Louisiana Turf Cup Classic an excellent group of turf specialists competing a mile and one sixteenth over the good turf course.
Carlea’s Dream, was installed as the 5-2 morning line choice, lived up to his billing for owner Carl Moore Management. Lindey Wade made the trip to Louisiana Downs to pilot the 4-year-old son of Lea out of the Corinthian mare Beat The Street. Bred by Time Will Tell LLC, Carlea’s Dream won in 1:44.37.
“It was so nice to come home and I am grateful to Karen for bringing me in to ride,” said Wade. “I knew this horse had it in him and could win a Louisiana-bred stakes.
The bay gelding had won two turf races this year in Texas. Trainer Karen Jacks said that he will stay in Louisiana and run in an upcoming turf stakes.
“He’s just like his name, a dream to train,” she said. “He loves the turf, like all horses sired by
Lea. His only two bad efforts were races taken off the turf.”
Britts a Closer, who broke his maiden on the Franks Turf Course last year, was in contention and held for second under leading rider Joel Dominguez. Mangelsen was third with Unrestricted completing the superfecta.
Strong Beauty Won Her First Stakes in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Filly and Mare Sprint
Trainer Ron Faucheux had a full group of stakes entrants, but had to wait until the final feature of the day, the $50,000 Louisiana Filly and Mare Sprint, to visit the winner’s circle.
Strong Beauty, owned by Golden Rock Thoroughbreds, defeated a highly competitive group of distaffers, including defending champion Tin Roof Farms LLC’s Snowball, and LTBA champion 4-year-old filly Our Lost Love.
Ridden by Carlos Marquez, the daughter of Overanalyze, earned her first stakes score, closing from off the pace to win the six furlong contest in 1:11.69.
“We got her at the Fair Grounds and she has just continued to progress,”said Faucheaux. “She is now in her top form and I expect good things from her as we move forward. Carlos rode a perfect race. This was very exciting!”
Crescentcitypretty ran second, followed by Snowball and Dance Away.
Strong Beauty ($10.80) will be pointed to Louisiana Champions Day at Fair Grounds, according to her trainer.
Registration Still Open for the Annual Charity Golf Tournament
Louisiana Downs will host its annual Charity Golf Tournament at Northwood Hills Golf Club in Shreveport, Louisiana on Wednesday September 1.The event will benefit The Winner’s Circle Church and Chaplain Jimmy Sistrunk for his many programs to assist the Louisiana Downs racing community and backstretch workers.
Sign in for the event’s Four Person Scramble kicks off at 10:00 a.m. with tee off at 10:30 a.m. The fee is $80 per personor $320 for a four-person team. The fee includes green fees, golf cart, lunch, and Super Derby t-shirt/cap. Trophies will be presented to the first, second and third-place teams.
The deadline to enter is Wednesday, August 25th. Attendees can register in person in the Louisiana Downs Racing office, or by mail. Checks should be payable to The Backside Benevolence Fund and mailed to: Jennifer Sokol, Harrah’s Louisiana Downs, 8000 East Texas Street, Bossier City, Louisiana, 71111. For further information, please contact Jennifer Sokol at (318) 741-2512 or (318) 573-5830.
Louisiana Downs Live Racing Schedule
Live racing takes place Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday until the conclusion of the 2021 Thoroughbred meet on Tuesday, September 21. For more information on the 84-day racing season and special events, visit https://www.caesars.com/harrahs-louisiana-downs/racing.
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