A trio of turf stakes are scheduled for Saturday, March 4, at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. The first post is 1:15 p.m. CT for the 9-race card, which features the 65th running of the $75,000 Black Gold Stakes as Race 8, the 43rd running of the $75,000 Edward J. Johnston Memorial Stakes as Race 6, and the 47th running of the $75,000 Red Camelia Stakes as Race 3. Limited to fields of eight, all three turf races will be run with the portable rail at 34 feet.
Exiting a game victory in the $100,000 Texas Turf Mile at Sam Houston Park, Susan Moulton's graded-stakes winner Andthewinneris headlines a classy edition of the $75,000 Black Gold Stakes. In an oversubscribed field of nine 3-year-olds, eight males will go about 1 1/16 miles on the Stall-Wilson turf course with a post time of 4:45 p.m. CT.
Triumphant in the Bourbon (G2), Andthewinneris made his next start in the Breeder's Cup Juvenile Turf where the star sophomore from the Wayne Catalano barn finished just 3 3/4 lengths back, though in seventh.
“He's doing great,” Catalano said. “We're happy with him back on the turf. He ran great in the Texas (Turf Mile). Someday he might try the dirt one more time, down the road.”
Drawing post No. 5, Andthewinneris will be ridden by Corey Lanerie.
Two beaten foes from Andthewinneris' Texas Turf score enter the Black Gold for revenge. Both colts have won just once, but each has the confidence of their connections, as both Calumet Farms' Winters Lion and Norman Stable's Mazing Mark are Triple Crown nominated. Qatar Racing Limited, Marc Detampel, and Fergus Galvin's Reckoning Force is the third nominee entered in the Black Gold.
After winning the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile last September, Reckoning Force faced Andthewinneris in both the Bourbon and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, where he finished multiple lengths behind him in each race. Freshened up since then, Saturday will be the Brendan Walsh trainee's first start as a 3-year-old.
Here is the complete field for the Black Gold Stakes from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, and morning line):
- Reckoning Force (Jareth Loveberry, Brendan Walsh, 6-1);
- Tapio (Rey Gutierrez, Mike Stidham, 12-1);
- Wonderful Justice (Colby Hernandez, Brad Cox, 4-1);
- Mazing Mark (Juan Vargas, Lonnie Briley, 8-1);
- Andthewinneris (Corey Lanerie, Wayne Catalano, 5-2);
- Lord Donegal (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Brad Cox, 6-1);
- Winters Lion (Adam Beschizza, Joe Sharp, 9-2);
- Myredwhiteandblue (James Graham, Louie Roussel III, 6-1).
Also eligible: 9. Desert Duke (Mitchell Murril, Chris Hartman, 6-1).
Exiting his dominant win over the local track in January's $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf, Allied Racing Stable's Who Took the Money enters the $75,000 Edward J. Johnston Memorial Stakes in hopes of reaching over a half-million in career earnings. In an oversubscribed field of ten older, state-bred males, eight will go about one mile on the Stall-Wilson turf course with a post time of 3:45 p.m. CT.
The dominance of Who Took the Money across the Louisiana-bred circuit is there for all to see on the 5-year-old's past performances. With 10 wins from 15 starts, he has won three stakes on the dirt and two on the turf. What you won't see on paper from this Bret Calhoun trainee is last year's edition of the Eddie Johnston. Though he entered, before the race fired he flipped in the gates and had to scratch, setting the stage for Mangelsen's gate-to-wire victory.
“He's got a mind of his own,” Calhoun said. “It's all up to him, there's no telling him what to do out there. Who Took the Money doesn't run until he wants to run.”
Regular rider Deshawn parker will take the reins on the 4-5 favorite Who Took the Money who will break from post No. 6 and do his running late. On the other hand, his main threat in the race, Mangelsen, will be gunning for the lead out of the gates.
“Mangelsen is a one-dimensional horse who wants to be on the lead,” trainer Ron Faucheux said. “He will not sit off of a horse, if he does he gets amped up and has no finish to him. He needs to have the lead by himself.”
Allen Cassedy's Mangelsen is an impressive nine for 16 on the turf when going the distance of the Eddie Johnston, and he is five for eight on the local sod. He hasn't won a stake since the 2022 Johnston, but he has gone two-for-four, including a last-out victory in an allowance at Fair Grounds for trainer Ron Faucheux.
He'll have a rider change as Marcelino Pedroza Jr. will climb aboard and look to send Mangelsen to the lead from post No. 2.
Here is the complete field for the Edward J. Johnston Memorial from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, and morning line):
- Smarty Alex (Alex Castillo, Alexis Claire, 10-1);
- Mangelsen (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Ron Faucheux, 5-1);
- Budro Talking (Mitchell Murrill, Eduardo Rodriguez, 8-1);
- Highland Creek (Adam Beschizza, Bret Calhoun, 5-1);
- Wicked Rose (James Graham, Henry Johnson Jr., 20-1);
- Who Took the Money (Deshawn Parker, Bret Calhoun, 4-5);
- Maga Man (Aubrie Green, Norman Miller III, 20-1);
- Big Chopper (Corey Lanerie, Scott Gelner, 12-1).
Also eligible: 9. Blue Cheese (Corey Lanerie, Samuel Breaux, 12-1); 10. Changi (Sofia Barandela, Jeanne Dolan, 30-1).
Gerald Bruno, Jr., Carl Deville, Chasey Pomier, and Jerry Caroom's Free Like a Girl leads a talented group of Louisiana-bred fillies and mares in the $75,000 Red Camelia Stakes. In an oversubscribed field of nine, eight will travel the about one-mile distance over the Stall-Wilson turf course. Post time is 2:15 p.m. CT.
Free Like a Girl enters on a two-stakes win streak for trainer Chasey Pomier, but she has never tried the turf. The 5-2 morning line favorite has defeated many of her Red Camelia foes, and owns 11 victories from 23 lifetime starts. Pedro Cotto Jr. is in town for the ride.
Bret Calhoun sends out the incredibly consistent Winning Romance, owned by Allied Racing Stable. She has just missed against either Free Like a Girl or A G's Charlotte in each of her last five races, but looks to turn the tables with the surface switch under regular pilot Deshawn Parker.
“She's doing well,” Calhoun said. “She ran once on the turf and it wasn't a good race, but it was a 'good' track that day. I'm hoping with firm turf, she will like it better.”
Tom Galvin's A G's Charlotte also enters in good form for trainer Patricia West. The multiple stakes winner should be primed for a top effort second off the layoff, and is 2 for 3 in the exacta on the grass. Marcelino Pedroza Jr. has the mount.
The surface is no question for World War IV Racing's World War, who has been running exclusively on turf since February 2021. She is looking to find her 2022 Fair Grounds form after a disappointing 2023 debut.
“She's doing good, I think she needed that last race,” said Faucheux. “Hopefully with that one under her belt, we will see the old World War that we know.”
Here is the complete field for the Red Camelia Stakes from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, and morning line):
- Eve's Delight (Alexander Castillo, Garland Goins, 6-1);
- A G's Charlotte (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Patricia West, 4-1);
- Free Like a Girl (Pedro Cotto Jr., Chasey Pomier, 5-2);
- World War (Jareth Loveberry, Ron Faucheux, 6-1);
- Wholelottamo (Colby Hernandez, Jayde Gelner, 15-1);
- Winning Romance (Deshawn Parker, Bret Calhoun, 7-2);
- Fort Polk (Emanuel Nieves, Patrick Mouton, 8-1);
- Cheapskate Diva (James Graham, Joseph Felks, 8-1).
Also eligible: 9. Blessed Anna (David Cohen, Ron Faucheux, 10-1).
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