The 19th running of Louisiana Premier Day at Delta Downs on Feb. 5 couldn’t have been scripted out any better. With clear skies and a cool breeze, the 11-race program featured 10 stakes races and more than $900,000 in total purse money for Louisiana-bred horses who were vying for hoof-pounding greatness. Not only was the weather picture perfect, but the betting handle soared to $3,075,587, which was nearly $800,000 more than last year’s soirée.
– FREE LIKE A GIRL NOTCHES THIRD STAKES WIN OF THE SEASON IN THE STARLET –
VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted its richest program of the season on Saturday afternoon as the 19th edition of Louisiana Premier Day took center stage. The 11-race program featured 10 stakes races and more than $900,000 in total purse money for Louisiana-bred horses.
The featured race of the day was the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Day Championship, which featured a full field of 10 competing at 1-1/16 miles. The race appeared to be wide open without Underpressure, as the winner of the last two editions of the event was not entered this time around. The morning line favorite and race-time chalk Langs Day did not disappoint, as the Lee Thomas trainee went from last-to-first while scoring his second stakes win of the meet.
“He’s a simple horse but a hard horse to ride,” said jockey Ty Kennedy. “You have to let him find himself but once he hits the three-eighths pole he does the rest and I just let the big guy roll. He always runs well at Delta Downs.”
Langs Day is known for his strong late kick, and on Saturday he used it well. After dropping back to last in the initial strides he began to pick up momentum racing into the second and final turn while pacesetters Magawildtime and Beauregard carved out fractional times of 23.85 seconds for the opening quarter mile and 48.37 for the half. When the field hit three-quarters of a mile in 1:14.54 it was Speaktomeoflove who had forged a narrow lead.
In the homestretch Speaktomeoflove looked to be in for a big payday but Langs Day had other ideas. The pair hooked up at the sixteenth pole and it was a war of wills before Langs Day got the upper hand late to record a half-length win over his tenacious rival. Jimi’s a Star finished well to be third, another 1-1/2 lengths behind the top pair.
Langs Day now has six wins from 17 career starts for owner Keith Plaisance. The winner’s prize of $90,000 on Saturday raised Langs Day’s bankroll to $277,040.
Bred in Louisiana by J. Adcock & Adcock’s Red River Farm, LLC, Langs Day is a 5-year-old chestnut gelding by New Year’s Day, out of the Langfuhr mare Langsyne.
Sent off at odds of 8-5, Langs Day paid $5.40 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.40 to show. Speaktomeoflove returned $4.80 to place and $3.60 to show. Jimi’s a Star was worth $4.60 to show.
Net a Bear scored her second stakes win of the season in the $125,000 Distaff on Louisiana Premier Day. The win came in dramatic fashion as jockey Tim Thornton had to angle out from the rail in the upper-stretch and rundown leaders Snowball and Fort Polk to get up just before the wire. The Allen Landry trainee also took the Magnolia Stakes at Delta Downs on October 29.
Net a Bear is now 10-for-30 during her career and has earned $523,870 after taking home $75,000 on Saturday afternoon for owners Maximo Lamarche and Federico Deltoro.
Trainer Allen Landry did himself one better in the $100,000 Prince as he saddled the first and second-place finishers, Vodka Gimlet and Brian’s Iron Mike. The pair were far in front of the rest of the field at the wire with Vodka Gimlet winning the first stakes race of his career with jockey Thomas Pompell in the saddle. Vodka Gimlet is owned by Ellen Epstein.
The win by Vodka Gimlet put another $60,000 into his bankroll which now stands at $102,645. He is a 3-year-old gelding by Goldencents out of the Out of Place mare Shy Baby.
The $100,000 Starlet featured Free Like a Girl, who already had two stakes wins under her belt this season. The Chasey Deville Pomier trainee won the Louisiana Jewel in October before taking the My Trusty Cat just one month later. She most recently won a stakes race at Fair Grounds
before her appearance in the Starlet on Saturday where she took the lead early and never looked back under jockey Pedro Cotto, Jr.
Free Like a Girl notched her sixth win from just 11 career starts in the Starlet and raised her career bankroll to $341,473. The bay filly by El Deal is owned by Gerald Bruno, Jr., Carl J. Deville, Chasey Deville Pomier and Jerry Caroom. She was bred by former jockey Kim Stover and her sister Lisa Osborne.
Bertie’s Galaxy turned in a sharp performance to win this year’s $100,000 sprint under jockey Jareth Loveberry. The Ron Faucheux trainee broke sharp and lead every step of the way in the five-furlong dash for older horses. Bertie’s Galaxy has now won 10-of-23 career starts and earned another $60,000 on Saturday to raise his overall bankroll to $382,850. The son of Greeley’s Galaxy is owned by Allen Cassedy.
The $100,000 Matron featured graded stakes winner Cilla, who dazzled the fans with a romping victory in the five-furlong test for older fillies and mares. Cilla is owned by P. Dale Ladner and trained by Brett Brinkman. The daughter of California Chrome was ridden to victory by jockey Thomas Pompell. Cilla has now won seven of 14 starts and owns a bankroll of $476,000.
The $60,000 Gentlemen Starter was taken by Greeley’s Dealer. The Dale White, Sr. owned and trained 9-year-old gelding saved his best for last, coming up the rail to snare the win under jockey Jose Guerrero. Greeley’s Dealer has now won 15-of-55 starts during his career.
Longshot Girl Thirsty was victorious as a huge longshot in the $50,000 Ladies Starter. Overlooked at odds of 30-1, the Ronnie Ward trainee ran down race favorite Heart That Binds in the stretch to get the win under jockey Alexander Castillo. Girl Thirsty is owned by Claudio Solis.
This year’s $50,000 Bon Temps Starter was won by Sandy Badeaux’s Madison’s Place with jockey Joel Dominguez in the saddle. The Eduardo Ramirez trainee overhauled race favorite Wild Mallory in the stretch to record the ninth win of her 32-race career.
And finally, it was the Keith Charles owned and trained gelding Alterana who took the $50,000 Ragin Cajun Starter under jockey Gerard Melancon. Alterana has now won nine of 31 career starts and the score on Saturday afternoon extended his current winning streak to four races.
Delta Downs will conduct live racing for the next four weeks on a Wednesday through Saturday schedule until the meet comes to a close on March 5. First post time each day is at 12:55 pm.
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.
Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.
– JOCKEY DIEGO SAENZ WINS FOUR RACES ON THE RICHEST PROGRAM OF THE YEAR –
VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted its richest program of the season Wednesday afternoon with another edition of Louisiana Premier Day. The program featured 10 stakes races for Louisiana-bred horses and over $800,000 in total purse money up for grabs.
The featured race was the $125,000 Louisiana Premier Day Championship and it was won for the second consecutive year by Mallory Richard’s Underpressure, who rallied from last-to-first in the 1-1/16 mile event for older horses. Underpressure was ridden to victory by jockey Gerard Melancon, who also won the Distaff and the Gentlemen Starter on the same program.
After breaking last in a field of eight, Underpressure settled in about seven lengths from the pacesetter Double Star, who carved out fractional times of 23.88 seconds for the opening quarter mile, 48.46 for the half, and 1:39.98 for three quarters. As the field turned for home Underpressure began a sustained rally five wide as he passed rivals methodically before confronting Double Star in deep stretch.
During the final furlong Underpressure, who is trained by Chris Richard, wore down Double Star and went on to the victory by ¾ of a length, covering the distance over a fast track in 1:46.60. Jimi’s a Star finished another 1 ¾-lengths behind the runner-up in third.
“I’m blessed to ride him,” said Melancon after the race. “He loves this track and the forty-eight second pace set up the race pretty well for him.”
Trainer Chris Richard was very humble when speaking of his star pupil following the win.
“He’s a once in a lifetime horse; as solid as they come. I just try to not get in his way. His running style is to come from off the pace and he got the right set up today.
Underpressure has now won 14 races during his 40-race career. His bankroll now stands at $838,182 after earning another $75,000 for his tally on Wednesday.
Bred in Louisiana by James McIngvale, Underpressure is a 7-year-old gelding by Birdstone, out of the Charismatic mare Charming Colleen.
Sent to the gate at odds of 7-5, Underpressure paid $4.80 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.40 to show. Double Star paid $4.40 to place and $3.40 to show. Jimi’s a Star was worth $8 to show.
No Parole was an easy winner of this year’s $100,000 Louisiana Premier Day Sprint under jockey Diego Saenz for trainer Thomas Amoss and owners Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin. No Parole won last year’s Prince before scoring a grade 1 win in the Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park a few months later. The 4-year-old son of Violence has now won six races from nine career starts.
No Parole covered five-furlong distance of the Sprint in a time of 57.37 second, the fastest clocking of the season at the distance.
There was plenty of drama in the $100,000 Distaff this year as Whispering Oaks Farm LLC’s Quikfast N Ahurry survived a jockey’s objection by Joe Stokes, who rode the runner-up Saints N Muskets. After several minutes of deliberation, the stewards disallowed the claim and made Quikfast N Ahurry the official winner. She was ridden by Gerard Melancon. Quikfast N Ahurry has now won five of 11 career starts. A 4-year-old filly by Closing Argument, Quikfast N Ahurry is trained by Steven Flint.
It was Southern Beauty who took the $100,000 Matron under jockey Diego Saenz who roused her to the lead turning for home in the five-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares. Southern Beauty is a 4-year-old filly who was making her eighth career start in the race for owner Allied Racing Stables LLC and trainer W. Bret Calhoun. The Matron victory was Southern Beauties first stakes score of her career. The win also marked the fourth winner of the day for Saenz.
The $100,000 Louisiana Premier Day Prince came down to the two favorites at the wire as Respect The Valleys, LLC’s Standing Perfect edged out Jimmy Two Times. Standing Perfect was ridden to victory by Ashley Broussard and is trained by Lee M. Thomas. The win by Standing Perfect marked his second stakes score of the season. The 3-year-old son of Half Ours also took the Louisiana Legacy on January 11.
This year’s $100,000 Louisiana Premier Day Starlet saw Jean Etienne Dubois’ Australasia, who pushed her record to a perfect three-for-three as she dominated five rivals in the one-mile affair for 3-year-old fillies. Under jockey Diego Saenz the daughter of Sky Kingdom helped set the early pace before taking off and winning by 7-1/4 lengths. Australasia is trained by Brad Cox, who notched his 1,500th career win when she reached the finish line on Wednesday afternoon.
Joe Alfredo Castillo’s 5-year-old mare Kris T was victorious in the $50,000 Ladies Starter under jockey Eguard Tejera. The Juan Larrosa trainee is now undefeated on the Delta Downs season with five wins in as many starts. Overall, she has now tallied 10 victories from 28 trips to the starting gate during her productive career.
Madelyn’s Wild Max won the $40,000 Ragin Cajun Starter under leading jockey Tim Thornton, who got a leg up before the race from leading trainer Karl Broberg. Owned by End Zone Athletics Inc., Madelyn’s Wild Max ran down Whacudposblygowrng in the final strides to record his 18th win from 78 career starts. The 10-year-old gelding was claimed by his current connections at Delta Downs on December 28 for $4,000.
This year’s $40,000 Bon Temps Starter was won in front-running style by Gerald L. Averett, Jr.’s Wild Mallory under jockey Diego Saenz. The 6-year-old mare, trained by Ronnie Averett, has now won four times from 11 lifetime starts. The Bon Temps tally marked her second in row at Delta Downs this season.
And finally, the $50,000 Gentlemen Starter wrapped up the day as Greeley’s Dealer was victorious under jockey Gerard Melancon. Greeley’s Dealer is owned by End Zone Athletics and is trained by Karl Broberg, who had a training double on the program.
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.
Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.
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