Category: Louisiana-Bred

Ova Charged Romps in the Mardi Gras

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Louisiana-bred Ova Charged wins the Mardi Gras Stakes. Hodges Photo.

New Orleans, La (Feb. 13, 2024) – Brittlyn Stable’s Ova Charged proved her talent does not end at the stateline, as the Louisiana-bred daughter of Star Guitar romped over the nine open company fillies and mares in the 80th running of the $100,000 Mardi Gras Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Trained by Shane Wilson and piloted by Jose Guerrero, Ova Charged completed the about 5 1/2 furlongs across the “good” turf course in 1:03.66 with the portable rails set at 21 feet. 

Breaking in front, Ova Charged was soon joined from the outside by Sweet Temperament, as they knocked off the opening fraction together in :21.91. Showing no wear from the pressure, Ova Charged soon put away her foe surging in the far turn, then extended her lead to over seven lengths in the stretch. The 3-2 favorite Oeuvre made a late run to pass rivals for second, finishing 5 1/4 lengths back.  Redifined offered a late kick for third. 

“I like her both on dirt and turf, but being the first time on the turf I loved the way she felt going around there,” Guerrero said. “She didn’t take a bad step. I believe in her and know what she can do. She’s ready for anything.”

In 2021 Ova Charged followed up an allowance win over open company at Monmouth Park with a second-place finish in the Victory Ride (G3) at Belmont. Since then she has faced open company only once, finishing sixth in an allowance at Keeneland last spring. 

“She ran so well in the (Bob F. Wright) and the timing to this race worked well so we went for it,” Wilson said.

Ova Charged has won 11 of her 14 lifetime starts, including the 2022 Page Cortez Stakes, her only other attempt on the turf. She has banked $548,780.

“Ova Charged had run one time on the turf,” Wilson said. “And it was her largest margin of victory, seven lengths the one time she ran on the turf, so it was always the goal to get her back

on the turf. Her mother never won a race on the dirt. Her mother was a turf-stakes route winner who never won going short or on the dirt.”

Sired by Star Guitar, who won 24 of his 30 lifetime starts, the Brittlyn Stable 6-year-old homebred is out of the Dehere mare Charged Cotton. 

We want to thank Evelyn (Benoit of Brittlyn Stable) so much for putting these horses in our barn,” Wilson said. “It makes us look good to have these Star Guitars–they’re so talented.”

Ova Charged returned $7.60, $3.80, $3.00. Oeuvre paid $3.00, $2.20. Redifined rewarded $3.20.

 

 

Louisiana bred Ova Charged Set to Battle Oeuvre in the Mardi Gras

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New Orleans, La (Feb. 10, 2024) – Two top female sprinters at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will battle it out for supremacy as Richard Perkins’ Oeuvre and Brittlyn Stable’s Ova Charged face seven other older fillies and mares in the 80th running of the $100,000 Mardi Gras Stakes. Oversubscribed with 12 entries and slated as the 8th race of 9 on Tuesday, Feb. 13, the 5 1/2 furlong turf sprint will be run with the portable rail set at 21 feet.

The Nelson J. Menard winner trained by Chris Block, Oeuvre was tabbed as the 3-1 morning line favorite. As versatile and game as they come, the 5-year-old mare has won 15 races at 5 different tracks on dirt, on turf, sprinting and routing. Having swept the female sprint series last year at Fair Grounds, the 5-year-old Shackleford mare bred in Illinois will break from post 7  with Jareth Loveberry aboard, attempting to rack up her second Mardi Gras.

Two-for-two at the meet and 10-for-13 lifetime, Ova Charged has proven time and again that she is the best female Louisiana-bred sprinter in training. Only one of those wins was against open filly and mare company, as she signs on to face in the Mardi Gras. In her one breeze since her dominant victory in the Bob F. Wright, the daughter of Star Guitar went 4 furlongs in :52 flat on Feb. 7. Trained by Shane Wilson, the seven-length winner of the 2022 Page Cortez over the Stall Wilson turf course will make just her second start on the sod.

“After we got that first race under her belt, she’s good to go (and doesn’t need sharp morning breezes to prepare),” Wilson said. “I really want to see her run on the turf. She’s ran one time before (in the Page Cortez) and ran a 92 Beyer, winning by 7 1/2 lengths. Her mother never won a race on the dirt or sprinting. Charged Cotton was a route, turf horse.”

Made the 4-1 3rd choice in the morning line, the Brittlyn Stable homebred will be guided from post 3 by Jose Guerrero.

John Donaldson’s Carimba returns to Fair Grounds in search of a second stakes victory after running third in the off-the-turf Menard. The Rey Hernandez-trainee sports five wins sprinting on grass, including her score in November’s Pan Zareta. Marcelino Pedroza Jr. returns above the 7-2 morning line second choice and will break from gate 2.

Horseshoe Racing’s Redifined returns after running third in the Pan Zareta last out. With multiple-stakes-placings, including a neck shy in the 2022 Matron (G3), the More Than Ready filly trained by Michelle Lovell has had three drills since scratching out of the Menard.

“It’s a tough race, a really good bunch this year,” Lovell said. “But (Redifined) has been training great. She’s going to have to fight it out and close on them.”

Jaime Torres gets the call and will break Redifined from post 4.

Here’s the complete field for the $100,000 Mardi Gras Stakes from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, and morning line): 1. Dana’s Beauty (Joel Rosario, Joe Sharp, 20-1); 2. Carimba (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., 7-2); 3. Ova Charged (Jose Guerrero, Shane Wilson, 4-1); 4. Redifined (Jaime Torres, Michelle Lovell, 6-1); 5. Brandon’smylawyer (Brian Hernandez Jr., Mike Stidham, 10-1); 6. Poppy Flower (James Graham, Bill Mott, 5-1); 7. Oeuvre (Jareth Loveberry, Chris Block, 3-1); 8. Sweet Temperament (Jose Luis Rodriguez, Keith Bourgeois, 10-1); 9. Breeze Easy (Edgar Morales, Wayne Catalano, 15-1); AE 10. Jumpin Judy (Rey Gutierrez, Karl Broberg, 15-1); AE 11. Lady Hideaway (Joel Rosario, Al Stall Jr., 12-1); AE 12. Naughty Lottie (Ben Curtis, Eduardo Ramirez, 20-1).

DELTA DOWNS HOSTS 2024 LOUISIANA PREMIER NIGHT ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3

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OVER $800,000 IN TOTAL PURSE MONEY TO BE AWARDED TO LOUISIANA’S BEST THOROUGHBREDS DURING A STAR-STUDDED 11-RACE PROGRAM

 

VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs is gearing up for the richest day of the season on Saturday when the track hosts Louisiana Premier Night. The annual event features 10 stakes races for Louisiana-breds highlighted by the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship going as the sixth race on the card. The exciting program is set to kick off at 5:15 pm. This marks the 21st renewal of Louisiana Premier Night.

In addition to the top-notch racing on the track, fans will also be able to enter a ‘Bundle of Bets’ drawing in the OTB between 5-6 pm; college students can enter a special drawing for two (2) $1,000 Louisiana scholarships, awarded by the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association; and expert handicapper and national horse racing personality Martha Claussen will co-host the simulcast show along with track announcer Don Stevens to give the fans insight and selections throughout the evening.

The $150,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship for older horses competing at 1-1/16 miles will serve as the main event on the LAPN card. This year’s headliner attracted a field of six headed by Set-Hut, LLC’s (Jake Delhomme) Touchuponastar (3-5 morning line), who will be ridden by jockey Tim Thornton. The Jeff Delhomme trainee enters the event on a three-race winning streak and most recently defeated fellow Championship combatant Cosmic Train in the $150,000 Louisiana Classic at Fair Grounds Race Course. Cosmic Train is conditioned by Delhomme’s father Jerry.

Touchuponastar is undefeated at Delta Downs and will be defending his crown in the Championship after taking the race last year. Earlier this season he tallied victories in the $100,000 Gold Cup and the $100,000 Delta Mile. Overall, the 5-year-old gelding has banked $618,100 for his connections.

The Championship field also includes Jeffery A. Reeves’ Ballinonabudjet (8-1), who won the Boyd Rewards Stakes at Delta Downs on December 29. The 6-year-old son of Sky Kingdom enters Saturday’s showdown as the second leading earner with a total of $332,314. The Jeffery A. Reeves, Jr. trainee will be ridden by jockey Devin Magnon.

The second race field on Saturday features millionaire mare Free Like a Girl (4-5), who goes postward in the $125,000 Distaff for owners Gerald Bruno, Jr., Chasey Deville Pomier and Jerry Caroom. The bay daughter of El Deal is coming off a very close second to Bellamore in the Grade 3 $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic last Saturday night. The Chasey Deville Pomier trainee has earned a staggering $1,136,378 during her spectacular career. She will be ridden by Delta Downs currently leading jockey Vicente Del Cid.

Returning to defend his title in the $100,000 Sprint will be the Mark Casse trainee Bron and Brow. The Gary Barber-owned gelding comes into the race as the top earner in the field with a total of $384,370 and most recently won the $100,000 Gary P. Palmisano Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds on January 6. Jockey Reylu Gutierrez will get a leg up for the race on Saturday night.

Listed below are all 10 Louisiana Premier Night stakes races for 2024 in program order.

Race #             Purse              Stakes                                                 Distance          Age

2                      $125,000         LAPN Distaff                                     1 mile              4yo & up FM

3                      $100,000         LAPN Matron                                     5 furlongs        4yo & up FM

4                      $60,000           LAPN Ladies Starter                          1 mile              4yo & up FM

5                      $50,000           LAPN Bon Temps Starter                  5 furlongs        4yo & up FM

6                      $150,000         LAPN Championship                          1-1/16 miles    4yo & up

7                      $60,000           LAPN Gentlemen Starter                   1-1/16 miles    4yo & up

8                      $100,000         LAPN Starlet                                      1 mile              3yo Fillies

9                      $100,000         LAPN Prince                                       1 mile              3yo

10                    $100,000         LAPN Sprint                                       5 furlongs        4yo & up

11                    $50,000           LAPN Ragin Cajun Starter                 5 furlongs        4yo & up

For more information about Louisiana Premier Night and the remainder of Delta Downs’ season, which runs through February 24, visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also follow the track on Facebook and Twitter (X).

Louisiana Premier Night at Delta Downs Racetrack & Casino 🌟 LTBA Offers Two $1,000 Scholarships.🎓 February 3.

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Two Scholarships to be Awarded at Premier Night at Delta Downs
Registration On Site at the Delta Downs Racetrack & Casino on February 3, 2024
(VINTON, La.) – Delta Downs Racetrack & Casino will host Premier Night Louisiana bred stakes racing on Saturday, February 3 with a post time of 5:15 p.m. CT.

The richest program of the year will happen February. 3, Louisiana Premier Night. The card will feature the best Louisiana-breds competing in 10 stakes worth $895,000. The headliner on Louisiana Premier Night is the $150,000 Championship for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles.

LA. BRED PREMIER GENTLEMEN STARTER $60,000 Guaranteed

For Four Year Olds & Upward 1 1/16 Miles

LA. BRED PREMIER RAGIN CAJUN STARTER $50,000 Guaranteed

For Four Year Olds & Upward 5 Furlongs

LA. BRED PREMIER BON TEMPS STARTER $50,000 Guaranteed

For Fillies & Mares Four Year Olds & Upward 5 Furlongs

LA. BRED PREMIER PRINCE $100,000 Guaranteed

For Three Year Olds 1 Mile

LA. BRED PREMIER DISTAFF $125,000 Guaranteed

For Fillies & Mares Four Year Olds & Upward 1 Mile

LA. BRED PREMIER STARLET $100,000 Guaranteed

For Fillies Three Year Olds 1 Mile

LA. BRED PREMIER CHAMPIONSHIP $150,000 Guaranteed

For Four Year Olds & Upward 1 1/16 Miles

LA. BRED PREMIER SPRINT $100,000 Guaranteed

For Four Year Olds & Upward 5 Furlongs

LA. BRED PREMIER MATRON $100,000 Guaranteed

For Fillies & Mares Four Year Olds & Upward 5 Furlongs

In addition, the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association (LTBA) will award two scholarships, each valued at $1,000, to college students for a total of $2,000.

“This is great evening of racing with some of the most exciting Louisiana bred racing of the year,” said Roger Heitzmann, secretary/treasurer for the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association. “Premier Night sets the stage for a year of championship racing in Louisiana. It showcases the offspring of mares and stallions for our racing program at one of Louisiana’s racetracks located in the southwest part of our state.”

Requirements for the scholarship are as follows:

  • Must be a college student enrolled full-time in an Accredited College, University or Community College for Spring 2024 or Summer 2024
  • Scholarships will be awarded by random draw.
  • Must be in good standing with the college or university.
  • Must be present to win at the Winner’s Circle when the announcement is made.
  • Must have college ID and government-issued ID.
  • Must have University ID number or Social Security number.

For Louisiana Champions Day:

  • Registration: 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. at the designated booth
  • Races begin: 5:15 p.m.
  • Drawing Time: The scholarships will be awarded after the fifth race. The scholarship will be deposited directly into the student’s account at the college or university. The student is asked to know the name and address of the college that they are attending.

Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association manages the best incentive program for breeding thoroughbreds in the United States. Since the organization formed, this has led to increased purses, better quality horses, and increased interest in racing and breeding horses. The thoroughbred racing and breeding industry generates over $1 billion and employs over 60,000 people in the state of Louisiana.

For more information about Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association visit louisianabred.com or call (504) 947-4676.

 

Louisiana-bred Tumbarumba earned his first graded win in Fred W. Hooper

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Amerman Racing LLC’s Tumbarumba fought tenaciously to the finish of Saturday’s $150,000 Fred W. Hooper (G3) to prevail by a nose at Gulfstream Park.

Tumbarumba ($18.80) closely monitored a contested early pace set by favored Hejazi and pressed by Expressman into the stretch before rallying in the stretch to record his first graded stakes victory, holding off a late bid by Castle Chaos. Steal Sunshine finished third.

Bob Baffert-trained Hejazi, who set or vied for the early pace past fractions of :23.53 and :45.69 for the first half mile, faded to fourth.

Tumbarumba ran a one-turn mile in 1:36.45 to give trainer Brian Lynch his 15 winners half-way through a highly successful Championship Meet at Gulfstream.

The late-developing 4-year-old gelded son of Oscar Performance won the Ellis Park Derby last August before finishing a close third in the Oklahoma Derby (G3) at Remington Park in September. He entered the Hooper off a second-place finish in the Louisiana Classic for state-breds at Fair Grounds Dec. 9.

“It’s been a great meet so far, and particularly winning with him,” Lynch said of Tumbarumba, who was bred by Coteau Grove Farms from the Street Sensemare Naive Enough. “He’s an Oscar Performance and he’s just a special horse to me.”

“I’ve always felt he’s better on the outside, so the outside draw was a good draw for him. He sort of got to stalk them, and he’s such a game horse when he can gets engaged in sort of a head bob. To run down [Bob] Baffert’s horse [Hejazi] as the chalk, that’s a thrill, too. All-around, just a neat, neat horse and I’m just so excited about him.”

Bron and Brow Scores Second Palmisano

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Bron And Brow with Reylu Gutierrez aboard wins the 2nd running of the Gary P. Palmisano Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.

 

Driving down the lane and being defended every step of the way, Gary Barber’s Bron and Brow muscled his way into the clearing to score his second $100,00 Gary P. Palmisano at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Trained by Mark Casse and receiving the services of Reylu Gutierrez, the Louisiana-bred 5-year-old beat five foes going six furlongs in a final time of 1:10.55.

“We’re very proud of the horse and thankful to Mr. Barber,” David Carroll said, assistant trainer on the grounds to Mark Casse. “I can’t speak enough about this horse’s heart and guts, he’s a class horse to be around. Truthfully, I don’t think it was his best race. I think it was a savvy ride by Reylu. Down the backside I was a little bit concerned that he wasn’t traveling as smoothly as he normally would be. Bron and Brow at the end of the day was the best horse on the day and showed a lot of guts and determination and we’re very proud of him.”

Mike J and Not On Herb both broke sharply, but Mike J led the duel making the first two calls in :22.42 and :45.65. Breaking near the lead himself, Bron and Brow was settled, giving the leaders several lengths, and soon guided to the four-path keeping Autumns Strong Man in his sights. Invited to the rail by that foe, Bron and Brow took the bait in the far turn, leaving him in a precarious spot needing to get clear as Autumns Strong Man matched his every stride. Shouldering out at the 3/16ths pole, Bron and Brow took aim and drove past Mike J at the 1/16th pole as the convincing 2 1/4-length winner.

“Credit to the horse and the staff,” Gutierrez said. “I knew he was much more ready today (than his second-place finish in the Louisiana Champions Day Sprint). Mr. Carroll has had him in his hands for about a month now. I saved a little bit of ground in the turn and from the quarter pole home, got him in the clear. This is a tremendous horse and he beat some nice horses today.”

Sent off as the even money favorite, Bron and Brow paid $4.00, $2.40, $2.10. After doing all the dirty work on the lead, Mike J returned $3.80, $2.40. Mangum made a late move to return $2.10.

“Gary Palmisano was a great mentor to me when I first arrived (at Fair Grounds),” Carroll said. “Now with his son Gary (Jr.) working for Churchill, it is just a great thrill to win this race. After Bron and Brow ran in Ellis in June, Mark and Mr. Barber decided to give him a break, get him ready for the Fair Grounds meet. Hopefully we can continue on this route and take him back to Delta (Downs) and repeat what we did last year. It worked out beautifully today even though there were a few worrying moments.”

 

With two Palmisano’s on his resume, Bron and Brow’s lifetime stats sit at 16-6-4-3 and $384,370 in earnings. The son of Gormley was bred in Louisiana by J. Adcock & Hume Wornall.

Ova Charged Crushes Bob F. Wright Field

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Going faster than the Palmisano-winner Bron and Brow, Brittlyn Stable’s Ova Charged cruised to victory on Saturday in the $100,000 Bob F. Wright Memorial at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Trained and piloted by the current meet-leaders Shane Wilson and Jose Guerrero, the 6-year-old daughter of Star Guitar won the Wright by 6 3/4 lengths over Beleout.

“She felt amazing,” Guerrero said. “When she came out of the gate and I asked her a little bit, she went, but I said ‘not yet.’ Last race she was coming off of the layoff, but the way she warmed up today, I knew she was 100% good to go.”

Never being menaced by any of her six foes and leading at every call, Ova Charged stopped the clock in 1:09.75, which is .80 seconds faster than the male stakes winner earlier on the card.

“We knew she was going to get tired in the (Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint),” Wilson said. “I stuck my neck out after that last one and said anybody can come and try her now that we had that race under her belt. I think we showed it today–she is the best sprinting mare in the state. We’ll get her back on the turf (next). She’s undefeated on the turf so we want to show that angle again, too.”

As the 7-5 second-favorite, Ova Charged paid $4.80, $3.20, $2.10. Beleout spiced up the payouts to the tune of $8.20, $2.80. As the public’s top preference, Free Like a Girl returned $2.10.

“When I saw 1:09 I knew she was back,” Evelyn Benoit of Brittlyn Stable said. “She needed the break. Jose Camejo had taken good care of her but the Wilsons took over and everything has worked out perfectly. So excited for Star Guitar. Can’t tell you enough how much I love that stallion.”

Wilson reported he is considering the $100,000 Mardi Gras Stakes on Feb. 13 for Ova Charged’s next start. It would be her third try against open company.

Other than a second-place finish in the Victory Ride (G3) at Belmont, a loss last summer at Keeneland, and a local defeat at the hands of statebred males last spring, Ova Charged has never lost. Undefeated facing statebred fillies, she also has an open company allowance win at Monmouth and can boast a 13-10-1-0 lifetime record with $488,780 in the bank.

 

Stovall Deploys New Tactics to Win Futurity; Guitar Solo Bests Freeburn in Fillies Futurity

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Stovall with Corey Lanerie aboard passes Carpis feet from the wire to win the 60th running of the Louisiana Futurity Colts and Geldings Division at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.

 

New Orleans, La (Dec. 31, 2023) – With a change of tactics and a change in riders, Clyde Moran Sr and Jeff Plotkin’s Stovall won Sunday’s $100,000 Louisiana Futurity (Boys) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. After being in the thick of the early mix in each of the juvenile’s five races, Stovall’s trainer Samuel Breaux called upon Corey Lanerie to settle the son of Half Ours early and save his run for the last two furlongs.

“We did a few adjustments and decided to come off the pace instead of going up there,” Breaux said. “There was lots of speed in there, and he stopped the other day (in the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile), so we decided to change strategies.”

With his eyes set on the even-money favorite Carpis throughout, Stovall followed that leader through the far turn. At the top of the stretch, Lanerie showed him daylight and Stovall responded to run down Carpis, officially beating that foe by a 1/2 length. Going six furlongs, the colts & geldings division of the Futurity was run in 1:11.54.

“I looked at his form and he’s always up front battling and he always sort of stops,” Lanerie said. “I hadn’t spoken to Sam (Breaux) until I got into the paddock, and he said ‘there’s a lot of speed, maybe we got to come from behind.’ We both agreed we shouldn’t take him back but we wouldn’t send him. He put me in a great spot right behind the favorite. He’s pretty strong. He wasn’t really wanting to sit back there but he wasn’t crazy rank. When I showed him daylight, he gave me another gear and it was enough.”

Later in the card, Lanerie won the fillies division aboard Guitar Solo.

Stovall returned $22.60, $6.40, $3.80. Carpis offered $2.60, $2.40. Tdzshininluckystar paid out $4.80.

After winning his first stake in his fourth try, Stovall’s 2-year-old record tops off at 6-3-0-1 with  $105,850 in earnings.

 

 

Guitar Solo Bests Freeburn in Fillies Futurity 

Guitar Solo with jockey Corey Lanerie aboard wins the 57th running of the $100,000 Louisiana Futurity Filly Division at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Jan Brubaker

Though she came up short on Louisiana Champions Day, Guitar Solo substantiated her monster debut effort with a dominant win in Sunday’s $100,000 Louisiana Futurity (Girls) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. With the lead and the rail, World War IV Racing’s homebred trained by Allen Landry saved every inch to beat six Louisiana-bred juvenile fillies to the wire  by 2 1/4 lengths over Freeburn.

“She showed up today,” Landry said. “Last time (in the Lassie) we ran her back in just nine days. It was a little quick, but we just sort of had to.”

Being pressured throughout by Freeburn, Guitar Solo ran professionally and in tune with her jockey Corey Lanerie throughout to cover the six furlongs in 1:10.87, over a half-second faster than the winner of the Boys division earlier on the card.

“I really just had to be a good passenger and hope we got a good break and she did the rest,” Lanerie said. “(Freeburn) came up to me around the turn and I wasn’t sure, I thought it was going to be close all the way to the end. She proved to be the best horse today and got the job done.”

The Star Guitar filly could be even better covering a route of ground.

“I think once we get to stretching out she’ll be better,” Landry said.

Guitar Solo paid $6.20, $3.80, $2.80. Freeburn returned $3.40, $2.60. Platinum Minit scrambled down the center of the track to edge out Clearly a Test and pay $4.20.

Capping off her freshman year at 3-2-0-1, Guitar Solo has earned $96,800.

The race week concludes on New Year’s Day with a 9-race program. First post is 12:45 p.m. CT.

 

BALLINONABUDJET RALLIES TO WIN THE BOYD REWARDS STAKES; BASALT STREET HANGS ON TO TAKE ROSEWATER STAKES AT DELTA DOWNS

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VINTON, LA. – Race fans were treated to a pair of stakes races at Delta Downs on Friday night as the track embarked on its final race weekend of calendar year 2023. The featured races were the $70,000 Boyd Rewards and the $70,000 Rosewater Stakes.

Ballinonabudjet wins the 2023 Boyd Rewards Stakes at Delta Downs.

A field of 10 went postward in the Boyd Rewards, a Louisiana-bred event for 3-year-olds and up competing at 7-1/2 furlongs. The race was won by Jeffery A. Reeves’ Ballinonabudjet under jockey Devin Magnon.

Ballinonabudjet, who is trained by Jeffery Reeves, Jr., dropped back in the field early after the break before moving into contention up the backstretch. In the meantime, it was Jack Bob and Larry who set the early pace of 23.62 seconds for the opening quarter mile and 48.27 for the half mile while being pressed by Venn. That pair reached the far turn together before Jack Bob and Larry threw in the towel and receded.

At the head of the lane Play Mo took a narrow lead while battling with a tenacious Venn through the stretch before Ballinonabudjet rallied late to collar the pair just before the finish line. The winning margin for Ballinonabudget was one length while Venn settled for second, a head better than Play Mo. The final running time for the race was 1:33.72 over a fast track. It was the first career stakes winner for trainer Reeves.

The win by Ballinonabudjet was the seventh of his 30-race career. He banked $42,000 for the effort and has now earned $332,314.

Bred in Louisiana by Spartan Team Investments LLC, Ballinonabudjet is a 5-year-old bay gelding by Sky Kingdom, out of the Wildcat Heir mare Heir to Glory.

Sent off at odds of 6-1, Ballinonabudjet paid $14.20 to win, $6.80 to place and $4.60 to show. Venn was worth $13.20 to place and $8.40 to show. Play Mo returned $3.60 to show.

 

Basalt Street wins the 2023 Rosewater Stakes at Delta Downs.

The Rosewater appeared to be a two-horse race on paper and that’s what it turned into until the final strides. Basalt Street and World War hooked up in a speed duel for most of the 7-1/2 furlongs while setting fractional times of 23.81 seconds for the opening quarter mile and 48.28 for the half. But as the pair turned for home World War backed off and left the lead to Basalt Street, who appeared to be a clear winner until Muchmorethanready launched a furious late rally that resulted in a tight photo finish. The result was a narrow win by Basalt Street over Muchmorethanready while World War wound up third, another 2-3/4 lengths behind the top pair.

The final time for Basalt Street, who was ridden to victory by jockey Tim Thornton, was 1:34.35.

Owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling and trained by Gary Scherer, Basalt Street has now won seven of 24 starts. The $42,000 paycheck on Friday night raised her overall bankroll to $311,613.

Bred in Louisiana by Paul Pruett & Lindsay Syler, Basalt Street id a 4-year-old dark bay or brown filly by Uncaptured, out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Shirley Street.

Basalt Street paid $4.60 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.40 to show. Muchmorethanready returned $4 to place and $2.80 to show. World War paid $2.60 to show.

Touchuponastar Untouchable in Louisiana Champions Day Repeat

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The Star Guitar gelding has won nine of his last 10 races.

 

Coming off convincing stakes victories, including one against open company, Touchuponastar  did exactly as expected back in against fellow Louisiana-breds, dominating the Dec. 9 Louisiana Champions Day Classic Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. With Tim Thornton aboard, the 4-year-old Star Guitar   gelding led gate to wire, taking the $145,500 feature by a geared-down 1 1/4 lengths in 1:50.12 for 1 1/8 miles over a fast surface.

Tumbarumba  was second, 16 1/2 lengths clear of Cosmic Train  in third. Bayou Jam  was fourth and last.

Touchuponastar, sent off at 1/5, also won this race last year, clinching Louisiana’s champion 3-year-old colt or gelding honors. Jeff Delhomme trains the regional sensation for his brother, former New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme, and father, Jerry Delhomme, who race as Set-Hut. Jerry Delhomme trains Cosmic Train and all runners were individual betting interests.

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