Fair Grounds Opening Day Stakes Win for Newest Louisiana Bred Millionaire, Free Like A Girl; First Stakes Win for Vale Male; and First Clearly Now Stakes Winner, Clearly A Test

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Free Like A Girl becomes the latest Louisiana Bred Millionaire with her win in the Doris Hebert Memorial Stakes. Hodges Photo

“Back in the Big Easy to Become a Millionaire,” Free Like a Girl Bags the Hebert

New Orleans, La (Nov. 17, 2023) – Opening day of the 152nd racing season at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will forever be remembered as the day Free Like a Girl surpassed $1 million in career earnings. Overcoming a claustrophobic trip, the Louisiana Champion filly as both a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old spurted away from the field of 11 to win the $75,000 Doris Hebert Memorial by 3/4 length over a persistent Olivia G.  

Gerald Bruno, Jr., Chasey Pomier, and Jerry Caroom’s daughter of El Deal covered the 6 furlongs in 1:12.12 across a main track rated “good.” Even money was the reward for her backers in the win pool

Trained by Chasey Pomier, Free Like a Girl was piloted by Vicente Del Cid. Sticking her nose across the milestone threshold, the 4-year-old out the Flashy Bull mare Flashy Prize now boasts $1,006,578 in lifetime earnings and a career record of 31: 14-8-4. Free Like a Girl was bred by Kim Renee Stover & Lisa Osborne.

 

Vale Male is victorious in the John Valene Memorial Stakes. Hodges photo

Wire to Wire Was the Way for Vale Male in the Valene Memorial

Though never having led the pack at any opening call in her first 13 races, D & S Stables’ Vale Male did just that and more to win the $75,000 John Valene Memorial wire-to-wire on Friday. Breaking sharply outside of seven older fillies and mares, the daughter of Bodemeister out of the Kantharos dam Wildwood Kantharos dropped down to occupy the vacancy and never looked back through the 1 mile 70 yards. Beating A G’s Charlotte by 3/4 lengths,  the 4-year-old stopped the clock at 1:45.20 to pay 9.50 – 1.

Trained by James “Sweets” Hodges, Vale Male received the heads-up services of jockey James Graham, who with this victory sits nine back from career win 3,000.  Bred by J. Adcock & Hume Wornall, Vale Male now tallies a career record of 14: 5-3-2 adding up to $172,440 in lifetime earnings.

 

Jockey J.A. Guerrero pilots Clearly A Test to victory in the 2nd running of the Donovan L. Ferguson Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.

Home From Saratoga, Louisiana’s Own Clearly a Test Breaks Maiden in the Ferguson Stakes

Louisiana-bred through and through, Brittlyn Stables’ homebred Clearly a Test returned home from her summer racing at Saratoga to break her maiden in the $75,000 Donovan L. Ferguson Memorial. Drawn inside against a field of 14 juvenile fillies, the daughter of Clearly Now hit the gate and had to fight her way from near the back in the 5 1/2-furlong dirt sprint under jockey Jose Guerrero. Advancing along the rail, it wasn’t until the far turn that she boldly maneuvered to the outside, but once she did her talented kick moved her to the front of the 2021 class. Sealing the deal in 1:06.95, Clearly a Test beat out Tommie G by 1 1/2 lengths, paying 1.60 as the post-time favorite.

Trained by Shane Wilson, the daughter of Clearly Now out of the Star Guitar dam Testing One Two is now 4:1-0-0 with $63,900 in earnings. 

Follow this link for the full results and payouts of the three opening day stakes: https://www.equibase.com/static/chart/summary/RaceCardIndexFG111723USA-EQB.html

Eying $1 Million, Free Like a Girl Returns to Fair Grounds for Opening Day

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  • Louisiana Champions Preview Weekend features six stakes 
  • The La-bred deck is stacked in favor of a big weekend for Dallas Stewart 
  • Cross-entered Free Like A Girl’s connection must decide sprint or route
  • Brittlyn Stables’ familiar faces enter multiple stakes but will walk over from a new barn

New Orleans, La (Nov. 16, 2023) – The table is set for Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots’ 152nd season, and there’s an extra helping of Louisiana-bred stakes to feast upon one week ahead of the 99th running of Thanksgiving Classic. Three of the nine races carded for opening day on Friday, Nov. 17, are statebred stakes for females: The Doris Hebert, The John Valene, and The Donovan L. Ferguson. With 10 races slated for Saturday, the males will take centerstage in the three feature stakes: The Joseph R. Peluso, The Jacob V. Morreale, and the Larry D. Robideaux. Run in memory of departed members of Fair Grounds racing community, each carries a $75,000 purse and serve as the perfect springboard for Louisiana Champions Day on Dec 9. First post on both Friday and Saturday is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. (all times Central).

Friday’s spotlight will be on Louisiana-bred fillies and mares

Cross-entered in the Doris Hebert Memorial 6-furlong sprint (Race 6) and the 1 mile and 70 yards John Valene Memorial (Race 8), Gerald Bruno Jr., Chasey Pomier, and Jerry Caroom’s Free Like a Girl will look to return to form on Friday. Made the morning line favorite in both, 9-5 in the Hebert and 2-1 in the Valene, the sensational filly trained by Chasey Pomier is winless since taking the Distaff and Louisiana Legends Mademoiselle Sprint in early summer, both at Evangeline Downs. Vicente Del-Cid gets the call to help reverse the three-race slide, which will be his first race aboard the 13-time winner who would surpass $1 million in earnings if she were able to be victorious in whichever stakes her connections settle on.

It would be fitting if Sabra Tuff was able to seize the day in the John Valene. Owned by Valene Farms’ Murray Valene, Sabra Tuff’s first race against fellow statebreds is in a stakes named for Murray’s father, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 100. The daughter of Cross Traffic beat her odds finishing fourth in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), and more recently finished fourth to Randomized in the Alabama (G1). The 3-year-old’s stablemate Accommodate Eva runs in Race 9, the Donovan L. Ferguson, a 5 1/2 furlong sprint for juvenile fillies, and she has followed a similarly ambitious path, entering fresh off a 10th-place finish in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Post time for Hebert is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. (all times CT) and the Valene will go at 4:15 p.m. followed by the Ferguson at 4:45 p.m. Follow this link for a list of each stakes field: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/FG111723USA-EQB.html#RACE6

On Saturday, Nov 19 the focus shifts to Louisiana-bred colts and geldings

A field of nine La-bred juvenile males will line up in the starting gates for the Joseph R. Peluso Memorial Stakes, a 5 1/2 furlong sprint across the main track. In a wide-open affair of well-bred but lightly-raced juveniles, the DS Young Futurity winner, Tav Enterprises’ El Dinero, was tabbed as the morning line favorite at 7-2. The son of El Deal traveled wide when finishing third last out in the Louisiana Legacy at Delta Downs in October. Scheduled as Race 5, the Ferguson is the first leg of the 15% takeout $1 Pick 6.  Post time is 2:45 p.m.

The confidence of Brittlyn Stable’s Behemah Star might be on the rise as soon as he scans the paddock ahead of the Jacob V. Morreale to find Touchuponastar, his brother by another mother,  is not there. That foe has kept him out of the winner’s circle four times in the past year. In the field of nine, there are two others who have proven difficult for the 5-year-old, as Who Took the Money and Mangum both enter to take on Brittlyn Stables’ beloved son of Star Guitar. With two third-place finishes since Brittlyn Stables moved Behemah and the rest of their stars into the care of Shane Wilson, the 4-time winner will reunite with last year’s leading rider Rey Gutierrez, who triumphantly piloted Behemah in the 2022 Star Guitar Stakes.  Written at 1 mile 70 yards across the main track, a distance at which Behemah has never finished out of the money, the Morreale will go as Race 7. Post time is scheduled for 3:45 p.m.

The Larry D. Robideaux Memorial promises to be a thriller as 13 statebred, male 3-years-old and up will rip through 6 dirt furlongs trying to assert their supremacy atop the division ahead of Louisiana Champions Day. In last year’s edition the pace boiled over setting up for a late rail run from Brian’s Iron Mike, and though new faces join the cast of familiar characters, the second running of the Robideaux could unfold in a similar fashion.

Cross-entered in the Morreale, Set-Hut’s Mangum gets the lukewarm 4-1 nod by morning line oddsmaker Mike Diliberto. Having carried low weight of 111 pounds in two of his last three stakes victories, if the Jeff Delhomme trainee were to run in the Robideaux, he would travel with 122 pounds and Treylon Albert on his back.

The penultimate affair of the 10-race card, the Robideaux is scheduled for 4:45 p.m. Follow this link for a list of each stakes field: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/FG111823USA-EQB.html#RACE5

Bramlage: Racing And Training 2-Year-Olds Reduces Their Risk Of Injury – Here’s Why

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by Natalie Voss

 

Before most horse racing jurisdictions shut down across the country and threw the economic balance of the sport into question, the industry’s biggest problem was its need to reduce racing and training fatalities. Veterinarians and scientists are still learning about the causes of catastrophic injuries and, so far, it seems there may be a number of risk factors at play in any given injury.

One theory that many people have offered over the years is that the practice of allowing horses to race at two years old is either the direct cause of early breakdowns or predisposes horses to serious injury later. Many such hypotheses equate training and racing a 2-year-old with putting an elementary school-aged child into the Olympics. For more than two decades, the sport has heard calls to put an end to 2-year-old racing. Those calls have been renewed recently, as some fans have seen the racing shutdown as a good time to reevaluate and modify its structure and improve equine welfare.

 

Read Paulick Report Article

Spinning Aces Becomes First Stakes Winner for Hard Aces

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Spinning Aces wins the Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs
Spinning Aces wins the Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs

Coady Photography

Hard Aces went to stud at Averett Farm in Louisiana after his racing career.

Louisiana-based stallion Hard Aces was represented by his first stakes winner last week when Spinning Aces captured the Nov. 10 Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs.

Racing in third early, Spinning Aces advanced to take command and was determined through the stretch, defeating Awesome Ruta by a neck. He raced seven furlongs over a sloppy track under Joel Dominguez in 1:27.86, posting an 82 Equibase Speed Figure. He paid $19.80 to win in taking the open, $100,000 stakes event.

Spinning Aces, a 2-year-old gelding bred by Gerald Averett Jr. in Louisiana out of the Afternoon Deelites  mare Just Alex, is 2-0-1 in three starts with earnings of $89,540 for owner Lynne Boutte and trainer Allen Landry.

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HISA Submits Proposed ADMC Rule Changes to FTC for Approval

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November 13, 2023 (Lexington, KY) – The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has submitted proposed rule changes to its Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for review. Red-lined documents noting these proposed changes are available here:

The FTC will subsequently post the proposed rules to the federal register for public comment.

Until changes to the rules are approved by the FTC, the previously approved version of HISA’s ADMC rules, which took effect May 22, 2023, will remain in place. Those rules are available in full on HISA’s Regulations Page.

Similar to the proposed Racetrack Safety rule changes which HISA submitted to the FTC in September, the proposed changes to the ADMC rules were developed after months of dialogue with and feedback from racing participants across the country, including HISA’s Horsemen’s Advisory Group. During this time, the proposed rules were shared with industry members for informal comments and published on HISA’s website for additional industry input. The proposed changes submitted to the FTC today were reviewed and approved by HISA’s ADMC Committee and full Board of Directors.

When and if these rule changes are approved by the FTC, HISA will undertake robust educational efforts to ensure horsemen nationwide are fully aware of these changes and well-equipped to comply with them before they go into effect.

2024 Texas Two-Year-Old Sale Scheduled for April 3rd at Lone Star Park

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(Austin, TX) – The 2024 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale will be held on April 3, 2024 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, TX. The breeze show is scheduled for Monday, April 1, 2024.

“We’re excited to follow up our solid 2023 sale with our 2024 edition of our Texas Two-Year-Old Sale,” TTA Sales Director Foster Bridwell said. “We continue to pursue quality offerings that create an attractive marketplace for our buyers in the region.”

Recent graduates include undefeated Strong Promise, now a three-time stakes winner who won the 2023 Texas Thoroughbred Association Filly Futurity, who is a graduate of our 2023 two-year-old sale from the Pike Racing consignment. And our 2023 sales-topper, a Tapwrit filly also consigned by Pike Racing, now named Blue Squall, ran back-to-back game seconds at Churchill Downs in her first two starts.

“Our graduates are competing both locally and nationally and show the type of athletes our consignors have offered each year,” Bridewell said. “We’re already working on putting together another solid catalog for our 2024 sale.”

The breeze show is set for Monday, April 1st on the Lone Star Park dirt, starting at 8am. The sale will be held Wednesday, April 3rd inside the sales pavilion, starting at 10am.

The Entry Deadline for the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale is January 15, 2024, and consignment forms are now available at www.ttasales.com.

SAM HOUSTON RACE PARK ANNOUNCES 2024 THOROUGHBRED STAKES SCHEDULE

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The Houston Racing Festival with Two Graded Stakes, is Set for Saturday, January 27

 

HOUSTON, TX – Sam Houston Race Park will kick off its 30th live racing season on Friday, January  5, 2024.  A total of 22 stakes with purses totaling $2.5 million will be run throughout the 43-day Thoroughbred meet, which continues through through Sunday, April 7.

 

 

Supporting Texas-bred racing continues to be an important priority for the northwest Houston racetrack. Two stakes, the $75,000 Darby’s Daughter for 3-year-old fillies and the $75,000 My Dandy Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings will be contested on opening night. These stakes kick off the Clarence Scharbauer, Jr. Texas  Stallion Stakes Series for 3-year-olds.

 

The annual Houston Racing Festival is set for Saturday, January 27 with a 1:00 pm first post. The 2024 edition will offer five stakes races, anchored by the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) and the $200,000 John B. Connally Turf (G3).  The $100,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile, $75,000 Bara Lass, and $75,000 Gexa Groovy Stakes will be included on the undercard.

 

Texas Preview Day comes next with five stakes for Texas-breds on Saturday, February 17. The event serves as important preparation for Texas Champions Day, with seven stakes races on Saturday, March 23.

 

Bryan Pettigrew, Sam Houston Race Park’s Vice President and General Manager, looks forward to a season filled with quality racing and an enhanced promotions and event schedule. Live racing will take place on Fridays at 6:30 pm and on Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 pm (Central).  Holiday Monday racing, also at 1:00 pm, will take place on Martin Luther King Day and President’s Day. Sam Houston Race Park will also host live racing and festivities, beginning at 1:00 pm on each of the Triple Crown dates: Kentucky Derby on May 4, Preakness on May 18, and Belmont Stakes on June 8.

 

“We are committed to presenting an exciting racing season and engaging horseplayers, no matter their level of experience,” said Pettigrew. “Our goal in hosting live racing and promotions on weekend afternoons is to create a festive atmosphere for both racing enthusiasts and casual fans.”

 

 

2024 Sam Houston Race Park Thoroughbred Stakes Schedule

 

Friday, January 6                             

$75,000 Darby’s Daughter                             3yo F- 5.5 Furlongs

$75,000 My Dandy Stakes                             3yo C&G- 5.5 Furlongs

 

Saturday, January 27                                   Houston Racing Festival 

$300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3)          4&up F&M- 1 1/16 Mile

$200,000 John B. Connally Turf (G3)            4&up- 1 1/2 Mile (T)

$100,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile              3yo- 1 Mile (T)

$75,000 Bara Lass Stakes                               3yo Texas-bred Fillies- 6 Furlongs

$75,000 Gexa Groovy Stakes                         3yo Texas-bred- 6 furlongs

 

Friday, February 16

$35,000 Darley Sprint Arabian Stakes(G2)    7 Furlongs 4& up Arabians

Supporting Texas-bred racing continues to be an important priority for the northwest Houston racetrack. Two stakes, the $75,000 Darby’s Daughter for 3-year-old fillies and the $75,000 My Dandy Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings will be contested on opening night. These stakes kick off the Clarence Scharbauer, Jr. Texas  Stallion Stakes Series for 3-year-olds.

 

The annual Houston Racing Festival is set for Saturday, January 27 with a 1:00 pm first post. The 2024 edition will offer five stakes races, anchored by the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) and the $200,000 John B. Connally Turf (G3).  The $100,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile, $75,000 Bara Lass, and $75,000 Gexa Groovy Stakes will be included on the undercard.

 

Texas Preview Day comes next with five stakes for Texas-breds on Saturday, February 17. The event serves as important preparation for Texas Champions Day, with seven stakes races on Saturday, March 23.

 

Bryan Pettigrew, Sam Houston Race Park’s Vice President and General Manager, looks forward to a season filled with quality racing and an enhanced promotions and event schedule. Live racing will take place on Fridays at 6:30 pm and on Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 pm (Central).  Holiday Monday racing, also at 1:00 pm, will take place on Martin Luther King Day and President’s Day. Sam Houston Race Park will also host live racing and festivities, beginning at 1:00 pm on each of the Triple Crown dates: Kentucky Derby on May 4, Preakness on May 18, and Belmont Stakes on June 8.

 

“We are committed to presenting an exciting racing season and engaging horseplayers, no matter their level of experience,” said Pettigrew. “Our goal in hosting live racing and promotions on weekend afternoons is to create a festive atmosphere for both racing enthusiasts and casual fans.”

 

 

2024 Sam Houston Race Park Thoroughbred Stakes Schedule

 

Friday, January 5                              

$75,000 Darby’s Daughter                             3yo F- 5.5 Furlongs

$75,000 My Dandy Stakes                             3yo C&G- 5.5 Furlongs

 

Saturday, January 27                                   Houston Racing Festival 

$300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3)          4&up F&M- 1 1/16 Mile

$200,000 John B. Connally Turf (G3)            4&up- 1 1/2 Mile (T)

$100,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile              3yo- 1 Mile (T)

$75,000 Bara Lass Stakes                               3yo Texas-bred Fillies- 6 Furlongs

$75,000 Gexa Groovy Stakes                         3yo Texas-bred- 6 furlongs

 

Friday, February 16

$35,000 Darley Sprint Arabian Stakes(G2)    7 Furlongs 4& up Arabians

       

Saturday, February 17                                 Texas Preview Day for Texas-breds

$75,000 Jim’s Orbit                                        3yo C&G- 6 Furlongs

$75,000 Two Altazano                                   3yo F- 6 Furlongs

$75,000 H-Town                                             4yo & up- 7 Furlongs

$75,000 Miss Bluebonnet Turf                       4&up F&M- 1 Mile (T)

$75,000 Houston Turf                                    4&up- 1 1/16 Miles (T)

 

Friday, March 9

$60,000 Texas-Six Shooter Arabian Stakes   4& up Arabians -1 1/16 Miles (T)

 

Saturday, March 23                                      Texas Champions Day for Texas-breds

$100,000 TTA Derby                                     3yo C&G- 1 Mile and 70 yards

$100,000 TTA Oaks                                       3yo F- 1 Mile and 70 yards

$75,000 Richard King                                    4&up- 1 1/8 Mile (T)

$75,000 San Jacinto                                        4&up F&M- 1 1/16 Mile (T)

$75,000 Spirit of Texas                                  4&up- 6 Furlongs

$75,000 Yellow Rose Stakes                          4&up F&M- 6 furlongs

$75,000 Star of Texas                                     4&up- 1 Mile

 

Saturday, March 30

$60,000 Yellow Rose Arabian Stakes            4& up Arabians -1 Mile (T)

Michael Acton returns as Racing Secretary for the 2024 live racing season including the 25-day Sam Houston Race Park Quarter Horse meet which will run from Friday, April 19 through Saturday, June 15. Post time for the Quarter Horse season will be 6:30 pm.  The Sam Houston Race Park Horsemen’s linkhas updated resources including the first condition book, stakes nominations, information on Texas Racing Commission licensing  and stall application information for the 2024 live racing season.

About Sam Houston Race Park

Sam Houston Race Park is Houston’s premier racing and entertainment facility, located just 15 miles northwest of downtown Houston. Owned by Penn Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ – PENN), the racetrack, which opened in 1994, offers a variety of attractions for businesses, group outings and families during racing and the off-season. The track is best known for its award-winning dining and features multiple areas for fans looking for casual to upscale dining options including its Winner’s Circle Restaurant, Jockey Club, Luxury Suites and Pavilion Centre. For more information or tickets to upcoming live racing, shows and events, please visit www.shrp.com or follow on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok or YouTube.

 

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Announces Holiday Giving Campaign

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LEXINGTON, KY — Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announces the dates for the second annual Holiday Giving Campaign. Set to commence on Giving Tuesday, November 28, 2023, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Holiday Giving Campaign will extend through December 31, 2023. This campaign is designed to increase awareness for accredited Thoroughbred aftercare and to raise funds for the accredited organizations responsible for ensuring a quality life for equine athletes after their racing careers. This year’s campaign is set to follow the success of last year’s inaugural campaign which raised over $180,000 for accredited aftercare.

“Our Thoroughbred horses provide us with so much, and each donation to the campaign goes a long way in supporting a network of 86 accredited organizations. Our organizations do an amazing job of taking care of the retired racehorses, so as we prepare for the holiday season, I hope that we can all simplify our gift giving and donate to Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance,” said Jeffrey Bloom, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance President.

Throughout the campaign, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will announce new daily match sponsors with some of the most prominent names in horseracing. Each sponsor will match all donations up to a specified amount for his or her day. Match sponsors will be announced daily in various industry publications, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance website, social media, and email. Those interested in subscribing to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance emailing list can sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h_hXgD

“We all have our preferred charities to support. We choose to support Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance because it does the critical work in providing grants to the best of the best aftercare facilities,” said Craig Bandoroff, President of Denali Stud and Vice President of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, “These horses deserve and need our support. It’s our obligation not our option.”

Individuals interested in participating in the Holiday Giving Campaign to support accredited Thoroughbred aftercare efforts can visit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance’s website, beginning on November 28, to contribute a generous donation and send digital holiday cards to colleagues, friends, and loved ones.

“Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance donations play a vital role in easing the financial burdens on our accredited organizations, ensuring they have the necessary support to care for our Thoroughbreds,” explained Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Funding and Events Director, Emily Dresen. “We encourage you to make a donation to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance during our holiday giving campaign, where a single gift can make a meaningful difference in the lives of thousands of off-the-track Thoroughbreds.”

To learn more about Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance’s Holiday Giving Campaign, visit: https://bit.ly/3FwLwBP

SPINNING ACES TAKES THE JEAN LAFITTE WHILE MAKING HIS STAKES DEBUT AT DELTA DOWNS

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VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted a pair of $100,000 stakes races for 2-year-olds on Friday night. The Jean Lafitte featured a field of nine colts and geldings while the My Trusty Cat saw the same number of young fillies go to the gate. Each event was contested over a sloppy track at seven furlongs.

The Jean Lafitte was carded as the second race on the program and provided race fans with plenty of fireworks early as Lynne M. Boutte’s Spinning Aces just edged out Awesome Ruta and Good Like Magic to win the event while making his stakes debut.

Under jockey Joel Dominguez, Spinning Aces broke well before stalking the early pace set by longshot Gone Elvis, who covered the opening quarter mile in a time of 22.95 seconds while being pressed by Good Like Magic. Nearing the half-mile mark Good Like Magic put away Gone Elvis after stopping the timer in 47.58 but then had to deal with the eventual winner. Good Like Magic and Spinning Aces ran side-by-side turning for home before Spinning Aces forged a narrow lead after going three quarters of a mile in 1:14.18.

Through the homestretch a late challenger appeared on the scene in the form of 42-1 longshot Awesome Ruta, who launched a stout rally before coming up a neck short of the winner at the finish line. Good Like Magic held the third spot another neck behind the runner-up. The final time for the race was 1:27.86.

Spinning Aces has now won two of his three career starts. He earned $60,000 for his win against open-company on Friday and now has a bankroll of $99,540.

Bred in Louisiana by Gerald L. Averett, Jr., Spinning Aces is a 2-year-old bay gelding by Hard Aces, out of the Afternoon Deelites mare Just Alex. He is conditioned by Allen Landry.

Sent to the starting gate at odds of 8-1, Spinning Aces paid $19.80 to win, $11.40 to place and $5.40 to show. Awesome Ruta was worth $34.20 to place and $11.80 to show. Good Like Magic returned $2.80 to show.

 

 

Unlike the Jean Lafitte, the My Trusty Cat turned into a runaway for Willis Horton Racing’s Tapit Jenallie, who was ridden to victory by Richard Eramia. The Eddie Milligan, Jr. trainee came from off the pace to score a decisive victory. It was her first in stakes company.

After breaking cleanly from post position two, Tapit Jenallie took back off the early pace set by Kant Resist It, who covered the opening quarter mile in 22.91 seconds and the half mile in 47.27. As the field entered the second turn Tapit Jenallie started gaining on the leader and eventually slipped through a gap at the rail to take command turning for home. She hit the three-quarter mark in a time of 1:14.13 while widening her margin through the lane.

At the finish line Tapit Jenallie was all by herself, winning the race by 5 ½ lengths over Kant Resist It, who settled for second. Noriskit Nobiscuit was no threat to the top pair, finishing another two lengths behind the runner-up. Tapit Jenallie covered seven furlongs in a time of 1:27.91.

The win by Tapit Jenallie was the second of her two-race career. She broke her maiden at Remington Park on September 30 before making her stakes debut on Friday night. The first-place prize of $60,000 raised her fledgling bankroll to $80,094.

Bred in Kentucky by her owner, Tapit Jenallie is a 2-year-old chestnut filly by Tapit, out of the War Front mare Take Charge Tressa.

Sent off as the even-money favorite, Tapit Jenallie paid $4 to win, $3 to place and $2.60 to show. Kant Resist It returned $7.60 to place and $4.60 to show. Noriskit Nobiscuit paid $2.80 to show.

Fresh Faces and Perennial Powerhouses Line Up for Fair Grounds Rich Purses and Storied Traditions

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  • The 152nd racing season sees stakes purses rise to $9.7 million, the richest in Louisiana’s history
  • Trainer Larry Rivelli and jockey Ben Curtis are just the tip of the intriguing iceberg of new connections ready to compete for the 2023 – 2024 titles

New Orleans, La (Nov. 10, 2023) – While many famed connections look to continue their tradition of remarkable success at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, a litany of intriguing new players prepare for their first winter in New Orleans. Opening day is scheduled for Friday Nov. 17, 2023 and with 73 stakes on the docket worth a combined $9.7 million, the table is set to be one of the most competitive in the track’s 152-year history.

The 76-day meet features all the traditions that horsemen, horseplayers, and fans look forward to: The Road to the Derby series kicks off on Dec. 23 with the Gun Runner Stakes. Low takeout returns as the 50-cent Pick 5 and $1 Pick 6 both remain at 15%. On Saturday, Dec. 2, the Claiming Crown will be held at Fair Grounds, the first time since 2011. Stakes purses are up $1.2 million from last year, including an increase for the 99th running of the $200,000 Thanksgiving Classic. Marking the centennial of Black Gold’s derby successes, a celebration will be held on March 2 coinciding with the 66th running of the Black Gold Stakes.

Fair Grounds is fortunate to be the winter home of many of the top trainers in the nation, including Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, Cherie DeVaux, Tom Amoss, Brendan Walsh, Michelle Lovell, Bret Calhoun, Michael Stidham, Greg Foley, and Ken McPeek.

A new addition to the backside for 2023 – 2024 is Larry Rivelli. “The Riv,” as he was known at Arlington Park where he won nine trainer’s titles, shipped in Two Phil’s to last year’s Derby preps ahead of that colt’s second-place finish in Kentucky Derby 149. One of Rivelli’s 41 stalls is reserved for his Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint Champion, Nobals.

Beyond Rivelli, new barns include three young and hungry trainers from the NYRA circuit. Raymond Handal, Rob Atras, and Robert Falcone Jr. each have just shy of a dozen stalls which they will fill with classy turf runners and if plans hold true, a revolving door of claimers.

Two more fresh faces, Whitworth Beckman and Carlo Vaccarezza will also have a string at Fair Grounds.

The sport’s biggest names jump off the page of the 2023 – 2024 barn list, but next to them are horsemen who look to be the new lifeblood of the sport. Of the 19 trainers who are moving into Fair Grounds backside for the first time, six are in their first year of training: Jervon Broussard, Kelly Avant, Juan Sanchez, Yovani Munoz, Lane Johnston, and Igor Presniak.

The most intriguing new addition to the jockey colony is Ben Curtis. With over 1,000 wins to his name, Curtis has been one of the top riders in England for the past decade and was crowned the All-Weather Champion jockey in 2021. Curtis will be represented by agent Ron Faucheux, who after winning three trainer’s titles in a row stepped into a new role after the 2022 – 2023 meet.

Another new pilot is Jaime Torres, who in a little over a year’s time has already won 100 races, mostly across the NYRA circuit.

Last year’s top jockey, Rey Gutierrez, will return for his third year to defend his title. Gutierrez is joined in the jock’s room by the likes of Florent Geroux, Brian Hernandez, Jr. James Graham, Deshawn Parker, and Corey Lanerie, who in October won his 5,000th race.

Jockeys Aubrey Green, Erica Murray, and Sofia Barandela all plan to return after successful 2022-2023 meets, and these three women riders will be joined by apprentice jockey Kylie Wellington.

But Wellington won’t be the only apprentice hustling for mounts. She is one of five “bugs” who will receive a weight allowance, including Carlos Barbosa, Serafin Carmona, Yoel Navas, and Valentin Esquivel.

In 2023, the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve was yet again dominated by the talent traveling Fair Grounds’ “Road to the Derby” prep races, which produced three of the top four finishers in the Run for the Roses. With its signature progression, the series begins at 1 1/16 miles for the $100,000 Gun Runner (Dec. 23) and the Grade 3 $200,000 Lecomte (Jan. 20). The Grade 2 $400,000 Risen Star (Feb. 17) extends to 1 1/8 miles, while the Grade 2 $1,000,000 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (March 23) is a 1 3/16-mile test for the 3-year-olds.

Since 2019, three of the last five Kentucky Derby winners have run in at least one of these races (Rich Strike, Mandaloun, and Country House). Beyond that, the 2022 Kentucky Derby trifecta and four of the top six finishers of 2021 all traveled through Fair Grounds’ Derby preps.

The 2023 – 2024 racing season marks the 100-year anniversary of Black Gold’s Louisiana Derby victory. He was the first local champion to go on and win the Kentucky Derby. The 66th running of the $75,000 Black Gold Stakes (3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the turf) will take place on March 2, 2024 and will include a proper celebration with his connections’ family in attendance. Rosa Hoots became the first woman to have bred and owned a Kentucky Derby winner. The first horse ever to win the derbies of four different states, Black Gold was elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1989.

In the offseason, Fair Grounds erected two new barns to replace those wrecked in 2021 by Hurricane Ida. Last year, Fair Grounds installed a new, state-of-the-art toteboard in the infield. The Stall-Wilson turf course is full grown and looking beautiful, ready for everyday use as well as the many stakes scheduled to be run across it, including the Fair Grounds (G3) and Muniz (G2) both presented by Horse Racing Nation.

Fasig-Tipton has again been named the title sponsor of Fair Grounds’ 2023 series for 3-year-old fillies. The Fasig-Tipton Tremé Triple consists of the Silverbulletday Stakes (ran on Jan. 20), the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra (Feb. 17), and the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) on March 23. The name of the race series is a tribute to the historic Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans that borders Fair Grounds Race Course. Last year, the series produced the winner of Kentucky Oaks 149, Pretty Mischievous, the first from Godolphin to be crowned in Lilies.

Relyne GI By Hagyard presents three graded stakes for older, open company going a route of ground: The Grade 3 Louisiana (Jan. 20), the Grade 3 Mineshaft (Feb. 17), and the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic (March 23). Hotel Monteleone is the official hotel of Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots, and Molson Coors is the official beer partner.

Celebrating its 25th year, the Claiming Crown returns to Fair Grounds on Dec. 2. Purses will range from $75,000 to $200,000. Another $25,000 in each race will be available in purse supplements for accredited Louisiana-bred horses. The eight 2023 Claiming Crown races all are for horses 3-years-old and up, with two of those restricted to fillies and mares. Headlining the card is the $200,000 Jewel at 1 1/8 miles for horses that have started for a claiming price of $35,000 or less in 2022-23. It is the second straight year that the series has gone to a Churchill Downs Inc. property.

Six $75,000 Louisiana-bred stakes are slated for opening weekend, Nov. 17 and 18. Fillies and mares take center stage on Friday in the Doris Hebert Memorial (6 furlongs), the John Valene Memorial (1 mile & 70 yards), both for 3-year-olds and up, and the Donovan L. Ferguson Memorial, a 5 1/2 furlong event for 2-year-old fillies. Saturday’s trio of stakes are a mirror-image in terms of age, distance and surface, including the Larry D. Robideaux Memorial, the Jacob V. Morreale Memorial, and the Joseph R. Peluso Memorial, respectively. Each is in its second year of running, but four are renamed from last year to honor departed members of Louisiana’s racing community.

The 76-day, 2023-2024 Fair Grounds racing season runs through Sunday, March 24. Regular post time will be 12:45 p.m. CT. There will be an earlier noon CT first post on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 23), Road to the Derby Kickoff Day (Dec. 23), Road to the Derby Day (Jan. 20) Louisiana Derby Preview Day (Feb. 17), and Louisiana Derby Day (March 23).

The full calendar and 2023-2024 Stakes Schedule can be found here: https://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/FGNOThoroughbredRacingSched.pdf.