STRONG PROMISE TAKES THE LOUISIANA LEGACY AFTER DISQUALIFICATION AT DELTA DOWNS
VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs kicked off an exciting weekend of racing on Friday night with a nine-race program that featured a pair of $100,000 Louisiana-bred stakes races. Fans were treated to the Louisiana Legacy and the Louisiana Jewel with the latter featuring 2-year-old fillies. Each race was contested over a fast track and at seven furlongs.
The Legacy featured plenty of drama as 10-1 longshot Good and Stout hit the finish line in front of heavily favored and undefeated Strong Promise before he was taken down by the stewards for interference. The disqualification came after Good and Stout made contact with Strong Promise with three eighths of a mile to the finish.
Following a clean break in the Legacy, Stovall and Good and Stout shared early pace-setting duties, traveling the first quarter mile in 23.31 seconds. Nearing the half mile mark, it was Good and Stout under C. J. McMahon who owned a narrow lead while stopping the timer in 48.35. Soon after that, the pacesetter came down toward the rail, bumping Strong Promise and jockey Casey Fuselier, who then traded bumps with Stovall. For that action the stewards disqualified Good and Stout and placed him last behind Stovall, who was taken back and finished last under the wire.
The official order of finish after the disqualification put Strong Promise first by ½ length over El Dinero second. Rising Koto Star wound up another five lengths behind in third. The final time of the Legacy was 1:27.33 seconds.
The win kept Strong Promise’s record perfect at four wins in as many starts for owner Whispering Oak Farm LLC and trainer Carrol Castille. The $60,000 first place paycheck raised his overall bankroll to $215,400 and he has now won three stakes races in all.
Bred in Louisiana by J. Adcock & Hume Wornall, Strong Promise is a 2-year-old gray or roan colt by Broken Vow, out of the Macho Uno mare St. Jean. He was purchased for $125,000 by his connections earlier this year.
Sent to the post at odds of 1-9, Strong Promise paid $2.20 to win, $2.10 to place and $2.10 to show. El Dinero returned $4.80 to place and $3.20 to show. Rising Koto Star paid $7 to show.
EMILY’S BULLET DOMINATES IN THE $100,000 LOUISIANA JEWEL STAKES
The $100,000 Louisiana Jewel was won by Gerald Bruno, Jr., Chasey Deville Pomier and Out Blue Streaks Stable’s Emily’s Bullet, who got a perfect stalking trip before pulling clear in the stretch to win easily under jockey Vicente Del Cid.
The field for the Jewel was whittled down to just five 2-year-old fillies after Ronnie’s Deal was scratched. When the gate opened Del Cid placed his mount three paths off the rail and right behind Good N Sassy and race favorite Diamond Deal, who proceeded to volley for the lead why covered the opening quarter mile in 23.45 seconds and the half mile in 48.69. As the frontrunners turned for home the pace began to take its toll as Emily’s Bullet then made her move to the lead in the upper stretch.
At the finish line Emily’s Bullet was drawing clear and won by a comfortable 4-¾ lengths, while Diamond Deal held second over a late closing Tommie G, who wound up a length behind the runner-up. The final time for the race was 1:27.78 on the fast track.
The win by Emily’s Bullet, who is trained by Chasey Deville Pomier, was the second of her five-race career and her first in stakes company. She earned $60,000 for the effort and now has a career bankroll of $93,260.
Bred in the Bayou State by Paul Pruett, Emily’s Bullet is a bay filly by Gormley, out of the Wando mare Bessie’s Bullet.
Sent off at odds of 5-2 odds, Emily’s Bullet paid $7.40 to win, $3.40 to place and $2.40 to show. Diamond Deal was worth $2.40 to place and $2.10 to show. Tommie G returned $3.40 to show.
For more information about racing at Delta Downs this season, including a detailed schedule and stakes dates, visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also get information throughout the season with our social media accounts. The Facebook page is found at ‘Delta Downs Racing’, and the track’s Twitter (X) handle is @deltaracing.
You must be logged in to post a comment.