For some, the most anticipated and most hyped race on Saturday's Louisiana Champions Day card at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, La., was over in the paddock. Prior to the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint, one of ten stakes on the day, Ova Charged, the beautiful bay by Star Guitar, out of Cotton Charged, made her rounds – beaming, confident, focused. She has looked like a champion in her stall, in her workouts, beating optional claimers two weeks prior on November 28th, but what about up against the best filly and mare sprinters in Louisiana—did this lightly raced filly have enough to take on the class and grit of graded stakes winner Cilla?
The answer is yes.
76.00-1 longshot Sumitup hustled through the mix of sharp breaks to get the lead and sped on setting the opening first quarter fraction of :21.89. Breaking inside the early leader, second-choice 1.90-1 Cilla was close to the front but relaxed and shifted to one path outside to be joined by quickening 25.30-1 shot Sarah's Passion, who pressed tightly and did not let up pressure. The pair moved through the turn behind the leader but took over the front at the half pole. And that's when everyone wondered, where is .40-1 favorite Ova Charged?
Breaking slowest of the field, rider Reylu Gutierrez guided Ova Charged at the back of the pack going four-wide through the turn while targeting the main foe. As Cilla put away Sarah's Passion, it looked like she could sustain. Drifting in, Ova Charged seemed to lose focus but Gutierrez came with the crop and Star Guitar's talented 3-year-old showed more than talent, digging in with Cilla in her sights and the finishing line just beyond, Ova Charged showed the heart of a Louisiana-bred champion and won by ¾ length over Cilla who never gave up. Five starts, four wins, and one graded stakes second totaling $174,600 lifetime earnings. The connections were in attendance and they were proud.
“It's an honor to ride for Jose's stable, to ride Ova Charged,” jockey Reylu Gutierrez said. “What a smart, talented, strong, physically and mentally imposing filly. I am really delighted I can ride her. Two champion fillies neither of them deserved to lose.”
Cilla's trainer Brett Brinkman had indicated before the race that the goal was to keep teaching Cilla to relax, but when you get drawn the 3 post, inside a filly like Ova Charged, it forced their hand when it came time to run.
“The post position dictated what we had to do,” Brinkman said. “The only two disappointing finishes I've had with her lately have been in the lane and we've been the target. When we are fixed on a target, we are much better off. I think that's the same way with his filly [Ova Charged]. She's a fighter, those are two good mares right there. She had the benefit of a recent race, which is no excuse. My filly fights, she's good. I'd like to turn the tables and have the outside the other way and force his hand. That's just the competitor in me.”
After the slow start, Ova Charged's connections didn't know this race could unfold in their favor.
“I was worried at the beginning because she didn't break sharp,” Fair Grounds co-leading trainer Jose Camejo said. “When she was coming home I knew she had a lot of horse left, but I knew she still had to pass the three [Cilla]. She got it done and we are so proud of what she did.”
The other co-leading trainer, Ron Faucheux, sent out 15.30 – 1 Strong Beauty who finished well for third place. An impressive turning out by her and the other sharp fillies in this race. 25.30 – 1 Sarah's Passion holding on for fourth. 14 – 1 Snowball finished fifth. Then 116.70 – 1 Sienna Breeze finished ahead of the tiring early speed Sumitup.
On a day dedicated to Louisiana's best horses and horsemen, Ova Charged owner's said it best:
“Louisiana I love you,” said Evelyn Benoit of Brittlyn Stables. “And I love Star Guitar.”
As for Cilla's next steps, her trainer has a solid plan.
“I am shooting for a summer career with her,” Brinkman said. “We weren't pointing to this race but it was a race I wanted to hit. We'll look to hit a race in February, then we are going back up the country.”
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