Category: Louisiana-Bred

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.

 

WINNING ROMANCE CRUISES TO VICTORY IN THE $60,000 EVANGELINE DOWNS DISTAFF

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BRET CALHOUN TRAINED RUNNERS FINISH FIRST AND SECOND

 

Winning Romance takes the EVD Distaff S. Coady Photography

 

OPELOUSAS, LA –A derby weekend crowd was treated to a skillful ride by jockey Deshawn Parker aboard Winning Romance in the $60,000 EVD Distaff at Evangeline Downs on Saturday night.   The race for Louisiana-bred older fillies and mares was contested at the distance of one mile over a track rated fast.

 

Winning Romance tossed her head slightly just as the gates opened and was away a step slower than her rivals but was able to make it to the lead heading into the clubhouse turn.  She’s Gone d’Wild and Offspring were away quickest but settled into tracking positions behind the Bret Calhoun trainee.  After making the lead, Winning Romance was able to set very moderate fractions early, with an opening quarter-mile in 25.72 seconds and a half-mile in a pedestrian 50.96 seconds.  Offspring was tracking the leader from a half-length back, while She’s Gone d’Wild, Snowball and Net a Bear were closely grouped in the compact field.

 

The Allied Racing Stable, LLC (Chester Thomas) runner was traveling comfortably moving into the turn as She’s Gone d’Wild turned up the pressure with a bid along the rail.  Snowball had maneuvered through some traffic and was angling for a three-wide bid as the leaders passed six furlongs in 1:15.53 seconds.  As the field turned for home, Winning Romance maintained a slim advantage, and responded when called upon by Parker nearing the furlong marker.  She was able to edge clear in the final yards, with the winning margin 1-3/4 lengths.  She’s Gone d’Wild, also trained by Calhoun, was able to hold second 2-1/4 lengths clear of Snowball and Net a Bear, who finished in a dead-heat for third.  The final running time for the mile was 1:39.65 seconds.

 

Winning Romance earned $36,000 for the victory, her fifth from 15 career starts.  The winner’s share of the purse increased her lifetime earnings to $253,446.

 

The 4-year-old filly was bred in Louisiana by Allied Racing Stable, LLC.  Sired by First Samurai, the chestnut is out of the Flatter mare Lipstick Junky.

 

Winning Romance, sent off as the wagering favorite, returned $3.60 to win, $2.40 to place and $2.10 to show.  She’s Gone d’Wild paid $5 to place and $2.40 to show.  Snowball and Net a Bear each paid $2.10 to show.

Clear Skies; Louisiana Premier Stakes

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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.

 

Clear Skies; Louisiana Premier Stakes

MISS JANA CHARGES HOME TO VICTORY IN THE $60,000 ACADIANA STAKES

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JOCKEY JOSE GUERRERO ABOARD THE FIRST STAKES WINNER OF THE SEASON

 

Miss Jana wins the Acadiana Stakes at Evangeline Downs. Coady Photography.

 

OPELOUSAS, LA –Evangeline Downs kicked off the 2022 stakes calendar with a renewal of the $60,000 Acadiana Stakes on Friday night.  Jerry Cart’s Miss Jana took control on the turn and pulled away for a convincing victory.  The race for three-year-old fillies, formerly restricted to state-bred runners, was absent from the stakes schedule the past couple of seasons.

Sassy Emma was quickest out of the gate and was quickly joined by Brinee and Run Natalie Run in the charge down the backstretch. After a sharp start, jockey Jose Guerrero had Miss Jana well within striking distance, rating in fourth position, as the leaders went the opening quarter-mile in 22.32 seconds.  Miss Jana rushed up to challenge with a four-wide bid midway on the turn, challenging Brinee and Run Natalie Run, as Sassy Emma was the first to bow out.  After a half-mile in a swift 45.74 seconds, Miss Jana surged forward to take a half-length lead.  Run Natalie Run and Brinee were also beginning to tire, while Wholelottamo and Splenda Gail started to commence with their closing rallies.

Miss Jana opened up her lead to a convincing four lengths as they passed the final furlong marker and was in hand nearing the wire a comfortable 3-1/4 lengths in front.  Wholelottamo sustained her bid to finish in the runner-up spot, 1-1/2 lengths in front of Splenda Gail, who finished third.  Miss Jana stopped the timer in 1:11.32 seconds for six furlongs over a track rated fast.

Trained by the owner, Miss Jana earned $36,000 for the victory, her third from nine career starts.  The purse from the first stakes victory increased her lifetime bankroll to $103,640.

The 3-year-old filly was bred in Louisiana by Robert E. Hewlett.  Sired by Ruler’s Court, the bay is out of the Mauk Four mare Jettin Jana.

Miss Jana returned $7.20 to win as the second choice in the wagering, $3.40 to place and $2.60 to show.  Favored Wholelottamo paid $2.60 to place and $2.10 to show.  Splenda Gail returned $3.20 to show.

Live racing resumes on Saturday with a 5:30pm first post.  The featured event is the $60,000 Lafayette Stakes.  The Evangeline Downs Thoroughbred season runs on a Wednesday thru Saturday schedule until August 27.

Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Evangeline Downs is located in Opelousas, Louisiana, off I-49 on Cresswell Lane at Exit 18.

Louisiana-breds Shine at Texas 2YO Sale

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Accredited Louisiana breds sold exceptionally well at the Texas Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale which was held Wednesday, April 6, 2022, at Lone Star Park at Grand  Prairie. 

A Louisiana-bred filly from the first crop of Spendthrift Farm’s stallion Free Drop Billy consigned by Carl Deville as Hip 134 topped the sale at $200,000. The filly attracted attention after she breezed a quick 10.2 over the Lone Star Park dirt Monday afternoon. Out of the Half Ours mare Solo Buena, she’s a half-sister to stakes-placed Swot Analysis, who was second in the Louisiana Futurity at two. The filly previously sold as a yearling in the 2021 Breeders Sales Company of Louisiana Yearling Sale for $10,500. 

A total of 30 accredited Louisiana breds sold for $1,137,500 with an average of $37,917, above the sale average of $34,667. The median price for Louisiana breds sold through the ring was $30,000 also above the sale median of $28,000.

Other Breeders Sales Company of Louisiana Yearling Sale graduates showed significant bumps over their yearling sale prices. Hip 133, a filly by Star Guitar out of the Hard Spun mare, Well Spun also consigned by Carl Deville, sold for $30,000 an increase of $21,500 over her yearling sale price of $8,500. And Hip 100, a colt by Guilt Trip out of the stakes winning Milwaukee Brew mare Hometown Gossip, sold for $24,000 out of the Benchmark Training Center Consignment, up $20,500 from his yearling sale price of $3,500. 

Following the sale, Roger Heitzmann, Secretary/Treasurer of the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association said “Louisiana breds offer pinhookers a terrific return on their investment. With purses on the rise in Louisiana, I expect the demand for accredited Louisiana breds to rise as well.”

Free Drop Billy Filly Tops the Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale

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(Grand Prairie, Texas) A filly from the first crop of Spendthrift Farm’s stallion Free Drop Billy led the way at the 2022 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, with the hammer dropping at $200,000.

The Louisiana-bred filly, consigned by Carl Deville as Hip 134, was purchased by Mansfield Racing. She was a supplement to the sale and she didn’t disappoint, breezing a quick 10.2 over the Lone Star Park dirt Monday afternoon. Out of the Half Ours mare Solo Buena, she’s a half-sister to stakes-placed Swot Analysis, who was second in the Louisiana Futurity at two. 

Hip 72, a colt by first crop stallion McCraken, standing at Airdrie Stud, was the second highest priced two-year-old to sell and the highest priced colt with a final bid of $125,000. Mansfield Racing signed the ticket for the dark bay or brown colt. He’s a half-brother to seven winners from seven to race, including stakes-winner Magic Tale. Pike Racing consigned the colt.

Wednesday’s sale outpaced last year’s sale in total sales, average price, and median price. Eighty-eight horses sold for $3,050,700 in total sales. The average price was $34,667 this year; last year, the average price was $32,671. The median jumped to $28,000, compared to $20,000 in 2021.

“We’re obviously thrilled to see such strong trade in our two-year-old market,” TTA Sales Director Foster Bridewell said. “We can’t thank the owners and consignors enough for sending us quality horses to sell and we’re fortunate that so many buyers showed up in a big way. I think it’s a sign of just how strong racing is in Texas, thanks to the increased purses and incentives for owners and breeders.”

Pike Racing, agent, was the leading consignor by total sales at $664,000.

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.