The Juddmonte homebred by Into Mischief, trained by Brad Cox and racing off a seven-month layoff, covered 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:42.52. It was Geroux's fourth win on the card.

Each millionaire received Lasix for the first time in Saturday's contest, and trainer Steve Asmussen added blinkers to the equipment of Midnight Bourbon.

Midnight Bourbon broke in a bit at the start, bumping Mandaloun slightly, then went straight to the lead under Rosario. Midnight Bourbon had a one-length advantage over Sprawl entering the backstretch, setting fractions of 24.39 and 48.25 seconds, then pulling away to a two-length lead nearing the half-mile pole.

Geroux sent Mandaloun up the rail into second approaching the far turn, then angled to the outside of Midnight Bourbon to mount his stretch challenge. Midnight Bourbon went wide into the lane, pushing Mandaloun out to the center of the track, and the two were head-and-head for the next eighth of a mile.

Battling fiercely, the two millionaires dug in gamely down the stretch. Mandaloun got his head in front at the sixteenth pole, and continued to inch away toward the wire. At the finish, it was Mandaloun by three-quarters of a length over Midnight Bourbon, denying Rosario and Asmussen a fourth win on Saturday's card in New Orleans. It was several lengths back to Warrant in third, also trained by Cox, and Spa City checked in fourth over Sprawl.

Bred in Kentucky by his owner, Mandaloun is out of the Group 2-winning Empire Maker mare Brooch. He impressed on debut at Keeneland in 2020, then won a first-level allowance before finishing third in the 2021 Lecomte (G3). Mandaloun returned to win the G2 Risen Star, but never showed up next out in the G2 Louisiana Derby. Still, he'd earned enough points to Run for the Roses, and Mandaloun ran a giant race to finish second behind Medina Spirit in the shadow of the Twin Spires.

Mandaloun won the listed Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth five weeks later, and was awarded the victory in the G1 Haskell when Hot Rod Charlie was disqualified in July. Unraced since that start on July 17, Mandaloun returned plenty fit to capture the Louisiana Stakes in what could be a prep for the world's richest horse race, the G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 26. Overall, Mandaloun's record stands at six wins from nine starts for earnings of over $1.75 million.

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Gutierrez won with seven of his 17 mounts the past two days at Fair Grounds, five of them stakes. His winning mounts returned a total of $209.20 for a $12.30 return on investment. On Sunday he guided Gentle Soul ($35.00), Chess Chief ($22.20) and Halo Again ($30.80) to the Fair Grounds' winner's circle, and on Monday he followed up with victories aboard Hooperdrivesthboat ($83.80), Excess Magic ($6.60), Lovely Ride ($20.80) and Chattalot ($10.00).

“Feels great,” Gutierrez said after winning the final stakes of the day aboard Chattalot. “It's a credit to (jockey agent) Jose Santos, Jr. No matter where he's put me, we've been successful. We are calling Fair Grounds home, and we are doing very well. He does his due diligence. He does an excellent job with all of his riders. He puts me on these horses, and it's for everybody, so I'm just thankful for Jose.”

For the year, Gutierrez has won 132 races while banking $4.8 million, both career highs, while taking on new racetracks and challenges seemingly every month. Entering Thursday's card, he's sits second in the Fair Grounds jockey standings with 17 wins from just 73 mounts (23%), three behind meet leader Colby Hernandez.

Two of Gutierrez's Monday stakes scores came for trainer Bret Calhoun, whom he also credits for helping to jump start his career.

“When I ride for the Calhoun train it is really special,” Gutierrez said. “He's one of the reasons I am here today.”

Excess Magic Gets the Bacon in Woodchopper

In the $75,000 Woodchopper, Gutierrez placed the William T. Reed homebred Excess Magic (2.30-1 favorite) in the perfect pressing position on the outside of the pacesetting 18.10-1 longshot Rightandjust through early fractions of 24.43 and 49.76. He put that rival away off the turn for home and then held safe of close second choice Point Me By (2.50-1) to win by 1 ½ lengths in a final time of 1:38.08 for the mile on turf.

“His other horse (Who Took the Money) was the one I was most afraid of, so I guess he did me a favor by scratching him from the race,” Gutierrez said. “Both tracks (turf and dirt) are playing the way I like to ride. He (Excess Magic) was coming from a sprint to a route so I let him be a horse, get out there, and get in good position. On the backside I could feel everyone on top of us, so I could tell we were going pretty slow. He was ready to go and when I turned for home, I said 'let's go get some bacon'. He was hungry. I was hungry. Calhoun does a great job with his horses.”

The Woodchopper was the fourth win overall and first in a stake for Excess Magic (8-4-2-1), and it boosted his career bankroll to $164,171.

“He's been a pretty consistent horse for us,” Calhoun said. He had a little injury last year and we had to back off. Being able to run in a sprint prepping for this (win on Nov. 26), it worked out great. The mile is ideal for him. He's got tremendous turn of foot. Early on I was thinking we were a little (too) close (to the front), but that why I pay Reylu to ride him. He was right. The fractions were pretty slow and he had him right where he needed to be.”

Lovely Ride Works Out a Trip in Pago Hop

First career turf start is a stakes winning one for daughter of Candy Ride

Already a stakes winner on dirt, Allied Racing Stables Lovely Ride proved her versatility by winning her first ever start on turf, taking the $75,000 Pago Hop in what was a hard-fought battle down to the wire. It was the second stakes victory on the card for the team of trainer Bret Calhoun and jockey Reylu Gutierrez.

Away alertly from an outside post, Lovely Ride sat fourth while in the clear, two-wide down the backstretch while chasing moderate early fractions of 24.17 and 49.30 set by the longshot (25.60-1) Touch of Class. With the front-runner wandering about, she ducked inside of her mid-stretch, took the lead, and held safe of the resurgent 3.10-1 favorite Amiche and the late closing Princess Theorem (6.90-1) to score by a game ¾ of a length in a final time of 1:38.56 for one mile on turf. Only 3 ¼ lengths separated the top seven finishers.

“I had a delightful trip,” Gutierrez said. “She has enough tactical speed. I was able to break and come over (from the outside post). That was the whole game plan, we wanted to save ground. She took to it well. I have to credit Mr. (Bret) Calhoun and his brain because he has been brainstorming around with a couple of his horses and switching things up and he took the risk (of running on turf) given her pedigree. A lot of trainers don't have the opportunity to do that, but he took his chance. His chess playing is paying off and he is making me look good and his horses look good, so credit to Mr. Calhoun.”

The winner of the Catherine Sophia on August 24 at Parx, Lovely Ride has looked dominant at times on dirt, but she's been somewhat plagued by inconsistency.

“We thought pedigree-wise (by Candy Ride out of a Tiznow mare) she had a big chance to perform well on turf,” Calhoun explained. “Obviously this is the last 3-year old (restricted) race of the year. We were kind of out of options and so we thought we'd take a chance. We really thought she would handle the turf. It looks like she handled it well, and I look forward to her being even better on it next time. She looked like she was a little bit lost on it early on. By the time she figured out where she was going and what she was on, she finished up big and galloped out huge. It is great to have multiple options. We're just going to have to sit back and look at the condition books and see what race suits us best.”

With the win, Lovely Ride bolstered her resume to 9-5-1-1 with earnings of $284,160.

Chattalot Lets His Speed Do the Talking in Sugar Bowl

With three stakes wins the past two days, trainer Steve Asmussen breaks out of his Fair Grounds “slump” in a big way

Entering Sunday's action, trainer Steve Asmussen had zero wins to show from 21 starters to open the 2021-22 racing season at Fair Grounds. On the other side of Monday, he now has four wins with three of them coming in stakes. So much for that “slump”.

On the heels of a Sunday training triple, including stakes wins with Halo Again in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial and Epicenter in the inaugural running of the Gun Runner, Asmussen added a little icing to his holiday cake by winning Monday's Sugar Bowl with the front-running Chattalot for Bloom Racing and David Bersen. It was the third stakes win on the card, and fifth in the last two days, for jockey Reylu Gutierrez.

Away alertly from the rail, Chattalot (4.00-1) maintained his inside position while neck in neck with the 1.60-1 favorite Higher Standard through contested fractions of 22.05 and 45.35. He put that rival away on the turn for home, and the fended off a stretch challenge from Underhill's Tab (5.90-1) to win by a game, half-length in a final time of 1:10.03 for the six furlong on the main track. It was another 1 ¾ lengths back to Blue Kentucky in third. Higher Standards was 5 ½ lengths back in sixth.

“Today I just let him break and get his feet under him,” Gutierrez said. “I saw that no other horses were really getting away from him or going, so I just kind of took it to them. The rail has been good to me this weekend, so why not take it. When I saw (the favorite) Higher Standard just kind of pumping at the half mile pole, I was very confident.”

The winner of the first two starts of his career, the 2-year-old son of Midnight Lute was most recently seen finishing a tired fourth in the Lively Shively Stakes at Churchill Downs on November 27. With the win, he now boasts a record of 5-3-0-1 with earnings of $199,095.

Girl With a Dream was Filly With the Lead for a Brad Cox Letellier Exacta

Maybe it was more experience, maybe it was the break, maybe it was simply a matter that the most talented 2-year old filly won, but either way, the Brad Cox barn was front and center at Fair Grounds, sending out the Letellier Memorial Stakes $75,000 exacta with Girl With a Dream wiring the field and Com'On Sweet luv running second.

“She broke sharp,” jockey Florent Geroux said of the winner. “I thought she was the best in the field. We didn't know what to expect [in terms of running style]. We know she can be forwardly placed, but last time she came from the back at Churchill. I just felt I had the best horse in the race and she broke sharp so I took it from there. If someone wanted to go faster than me I would have let them go but that's not how the race unfolded, how everything played out.”

In a dirt sprint race where it was unclear how the front end would unfold, jockey Florent Geroux capitalized on a sharp break from his mount. By Practical Joke and owned by Jim Bakke and Gerry Isbister, Girl With a Dream was last seen closing inot hot fractions in a first-level allowance on November 13 at Churchill Downs. In the Letellier she set the fractions of 22.49, 46.42 as the .70-1 favorite. 31.90-1 Runnin Happy kept within a length at the first call. The bettor's choice of the two Steve Margolis horses, 4.50-1 Implosion, stalked and chased but never threatened for the lead. The other Margolis, 17.70-1 Mystique Saboteur, got away slow and passed tiring rivals for third. Despite coming away last from the gate, by the second call Marcelino Pedroz Jr. had guided Com' On Sweet Luv through traffic, up within one length, then as close as the leader's throatlatch. As they both got into their fillies, it was Girl With a Dream who proved best, synching the deal late in 1:10.84 for six furlongs.

“When [Come On' Sweet Luv] came close to me at the eighth pole it seemed like she had plenty left,” Geroux said. “But we were able to fight her off in the last eighth of the mile.”

All three rides for Com' On Sweet Luv have come under Marcelion Pedroza, Jr. The second place filly by Jimmy Creed broke her maiden out front last out at Fair Grounds on November 27, finishing strong after setting slow fractions.

“She got left at the gate a little bit,” Pedroza said. “She's not the type of filly to break sharp in the first jump. By the third jump she is right up in the race. I don't think it cost me the race. The other filly was better. We just got beat. On top of the stretch I felt like I had a shot. I grabbed a hold but he did too, so I was like let's see who is the better filly right here. He had more horse than me, that's it.”

The two-year old question du jour as we turn the calendar year: what's next for the winner and will she stretch out?

“Maybe, but if so, probably still around one turn,” Brad Cox said. “I wouldn't get super super crazy. Comparing her with other horses in our barn I am thinking she might be one to keep around one turn for the time being. She's had five runs now at 2 so we'll take a deep breath, regroup with her. It takes a little pressure off you going forward, now being a stakes winner.”

With the win, Girl with a Dream is 5-3-1-0 earning $170,720 in her brief and promising career.

Add Dirt to The Top of the List: Versatile Audrey's Time Keeps Getting Better

Lothenbach Stables' patient approach with Audrey's Time paid off on Monday, as the soon to be 5-year-old mare won the $75,000 “Spanky” Broussard Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds. Making her 16th start over three racing campaigns, the daughter of Uncle Mo has raced 8 times with one win on turf, 1 win in her lone synth try, and in her 7th dirt start, she gets the trophy for trainer Neil Pessin and regular rider Corey Lanerie.

“She was just doing okay on the turf,” Pessin said. “I knew she had always worked well [on dirt], and we'd run her on the dirt before, but she was just maturing with every time out. I think that helped as much as anything, the time off we gave her and bringing her back slow.”

Run at 1 mile 70 yards, there was nothing slow about the front end. Ignacio Correas' .90-1 favorite Cheetara set fast opening fractions of 23.74 and 47.07–the quickening through the second call was largely due to being aggressively chased by 7.30-1 Powder River, who vied for the lead through the turn. Cheetera has proven not to like company and Powder River's jockey Adam Beschizza seemed to know it. The early leader faded and as Powder Room passed her on the inside, Audrey's Time made her winning move on the outside and didn't stop edging away to the wire.

“My horse got off a little slow,” Corey Lanerie said. “The leader was going easy by herself, but I kept my filly in the clear and she pulled up to her on the turn. From that point on I knew I had something left in the tank. I called on her and she took it from there.”

Make it $268,226 in the bank and a career record of 16-4-1-3 for Audrey's Time as connections contemplate the next move.

“I don't know if we belong with the ones we ran against last time [Envoutante and Bonny South in the Falls City (G2)],” Pessin said. “I don't think we are quite there yet. We might look at Sam Houston. I don't know what they're going to have in the older filly division as far as veteran mares being ready to run.”

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The winner of both the Indiana Derby (G3) and the Oklahoma Derby (G3) during his sophomore campaign, the 4-year-old ridgling by Street Sense has raced only three times this year. He finished a disappointing fifth in the Shaefer Memorial at Indiana Grand in his seasonal debut this summer, but bounced back with a game win the Tri State at Ellis Park. In his most recent run, he finished a hard-fought third behind his highly decorated stablemate Knicks Go in the Lukas Classic (G3) at Churchill Downs.

“He is a very, very hard trying horse,” Cox said. “I feel like he's moved forward from age three to four. We've always liked him, but to pick up two Grade 3's at age three, I thought that was a nice achievement. He's somewhat lightly raced. It took us a little while to get him back in the swing of things, but once we did, he started running well. The Schaeffer I don't have an answer for you there on him that day. We loved him that day but he didn't show up and we kind of hit the reset button with him.”

“We found the right spot for him (in the Tri State) and then I thought he ran a really good race in the Lukas Classic,” Cox continued. “He had a little bit of a setback after that race and we lost a little bit of time, but he has been training well. On a good day he can be a good grade three horse.”

A deep closer earlier in his career, Shared Sense has shown the ability to sit much closer early on in his recent starts.

“He has been able to put himself into the race a little bit more now,” Cox said. I don't know if that is him maturing a little bit or what but he definitely doesn't make it as tough on himself as he used to. He is a pretty basic work horse. His work last week was a really good work and that gives me confidence in him going into this race.”

A maiden winner at Fair Grounds on New Year's Day 2020, Lloyd Madison Farms IV's Major Fed would go on to finish second in a division of the Risen Star (G2) and then a better than it looks fourth in the Louisiana Derby (G1). Second behind Shared Sense in the Indiana Derby that year, he would later finish 10th of 15 in the Kentucky Derby, which was run in September. He has two allowance wins from four tries this year, and the long Fair Grounds stretch should work in his favor. At 9-2 in the morning line, trainer Greg Foley will give a leg up to Mitchell Murrill aboard the the 4-year-old son of Ghostzapper who will leave from post two of 10.

With a post time of 3:33 p.m. CT, the Tenacious is scheduled as race 8 on the 13-race card. The remainder of the field with post position, jockey/trainer and morning line odds is as follows: Pravin Patel's Ebben (post 1, Adam Beschizza/Juan Cano, 12-1 ML), a participant in both the 2018 Lecomte (G3) and Risen Star (G2) who was last seen winning a third-level optional claiming allowance over seven furlongs at Churchill; Floyd Sagely Properties and Keith Johnston's Trident Hit (post 3, David Cabrera/Ron Moquett, 6-1 ML), a four-time winner who finished fourth in the JA Hawk Memorial at Remington Park last out; Gulliver Racing, Craig Drager and Dan Legan's Pirate's Punch (post four, Corey Lanerie/Grant Forster, 10-1 ML), a two-time graded stakes winner who finished third in the 2020 edition of the locally run Mineshaft (G3); LTB and Miles Childers' Warrior in Chief (post six, Marcelino Pedroza, Jr./Bernie Flint, 20-1 ML), a four-time winner who earned black type by finishing a distant third in the mud two starts back in the Salute the Hero at Indiana Grand; Fly P Stable's Little Menace (post 7, Colby Hernandez/Tom Morley, 10-1 ML), who was claimed for $40,000 out of an authoritative victory over 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs last out; Lothenbach Stables' Happy American (post nine, James Graham/Neil Pessin, 10-1 ML), the winner of consecutive allowance races in scintillating, off the pace fashion at Churchill Downs; and the Estate of Jim Coleman, Jr.'s Chess Chief (post ten, Reylu Gutierrez/Dallas Stewart, 10-1 ML), the winner of the New Orleans Classic (G2) on March 21.

Just Might Returns to Turf to Take on Comebacking Manny Wah in Richie Scherer Memorial

If you saw the race, there's no way you've forgotten Manny Wah's first time on turf. Last with a half furlong to go in January's Duncan F. Kenner Stakes, Miguel Mena sent Susan Moulton's 12.80-1 Manny Wah flying by six foes, the last of which was hard-used dueler, Just Might. Visually stunning, the only questions in people's minds were — why hadn't this 2019 Triple Crown nominee tried turf before and when would he get back on this surface. Wait no longer, the 16th renewal of the Richard R. Scherer Memorial $75,000 Stakes turf sprint is here.

Just Might was there for Manny Wah's next attempt in the Colonel Power last February but that day was rained off the turf, and Just Might held court again on the lead to win. Since then, 2-1 morning line favorite Just Might has won five out his last eight, including two stakes on the turf.

“He's won a lot of stakes on the turf and he likes this turf course,” Lovell said. “He's doing awesome so I thought we ought to give it a try. Hopefully he shows up like he has been, you know he's been so honest, and it's a nice race. He's been super. My horse is doing super. I pray for a great race and a safe one.”

Thanksgiving Classic romper Just Might's last four races have been on dirt. He won three of those, and was severely compromised in the Phoenix (G2) at Keeneland when he suffered a severe quarter crack. Back on turf where he has 4 wins out of 21 turf sprint tries, Just Might breaks from post 5 with Colby Hernandez back aboard. This 5-year old gelding owned by Michelle Lovell and Griffon Farms seems at the top of his game.

Manny Wah (post 8, 9/2 morning line, jockey Core Lanerie) has been on the shelf. But he's back, and this feisty bay 5-year old looks to come with the late kick to win again.

“That was a very explosive move he made when we ran him on the turf here the last time,” Manny Wah's trainer Wayne Catalno said. “He's everybody's favorite horse. It's nice having him back. We're really happy with him being back in action. He had a few minor things going on, some bone bruising, he just needed plenty of time. Our goal now is to get him ready for the Breeders' Cup this year. He could have won it last year.”

Finishing third in the Thanksgiving Classic to Just Might, Al Stall Jr's Pyron (8-1 morning line) earned a 96 Bris speed figure last out–only 4 points shy of Just Might's 100. Declan Carroll keeps the mount on this versatile runner who has 0 wins out of 3 starts on the grass but is making his first start on turf as a much improved 5-year old. Pyron will be coming late.

Mark Casse sends Lucky Curlin (8-1 morning line) out from post number 3. He scored his best Bris speed figure in his one win on the turf, where came running from behind at 7 furlongs against first-level optional claimers at Woodbine. Florent Geroux takes the mount on this 4-year old who has finished second twice against graded stakes company.

The rest of the field has early speed.

Steve Asmussen's Grinning Tiger (8-1 morning line, jockey Adam Bescizza) is another horse that shocked-and-awed when trying something new. In the $100k Crystal Waters on June 6, 2020 at Santa Anita, this seven-time dirt winner wired the field going 1 mile on the turf at odds of 92.00-1, holding off graded stakes star Lieutenant Dan. Breaking from the rail, front-runner Grinning Tiger is in deep against this field but seems to be in form after scoring his first turf sprint win while being put up for a $40k tag against first-level optional claimers at Remington Park.

Breaking from the 4-hole, The Connecter (6-1 morning line) will attempt to win his fourth turf sprint with Angel Suarez up. He will be making his second start for trainer Darien Rodriguez after finishing third in the $90k Metzen Memorial on December 4th at Gulfstream.

Turf sprint stakes winner Firecrow (post 7, 5-1 morning line, jockey Reylu Gutierrez,) has proven he can win on the lead or just off it for trainer Ronald Moquett.

And just outside of Manny Wah, turf sprint specialist Field Day makes his first start since finishing third in the Dade Park Dash at Ellis Park on July 4th, 2021. Breaking from post 9, Brian Hernandez Jr will likely send this 10-1 morning line front runner.

After a game defeat to Midnight Tea Time in last Saturday's third-level optional claimer at Fair Grounds, Juan Cano's Mr. Hustle will scratch.

Post Time is 3:02 pm CT. The Richard R. Scherer Memorial is race 7 of a 13 race Road to the Derby Kickoff Day card.

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With a first post of noon CT, six stakes will be run on the Road to the Derby Kickoff Day card on Saturday, Dec. 26, with the newly anointed races leading into to Fair Grounds' traditional Kentucky Derby preps – the Lecomte (G3), Risen Star (G2) presented by Lamarque Ford and the Twin Spires Louisiana Derby (G2), and traditional Kentucky Oaks preps – the Silverbulletday, Rachel Alexandra (G2) presented by Fasig-Tipton and the Twin Spires Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). The Gun Runner, which will award 10-4-2-1 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, closed with 21 nominations and the Untapable, which will award 10-4-2-1 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, closed with 22 nominations.

Post positions for the Dec. 26 card, which also includes the Tenacious Stakes, Richard R. Scherer Memorial Stakes, Blushing KD Stakes, and the Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes will be drawn on Thursday December 16. The Joseph E. “Spanky” Broussard Memorial, The Woodchopper, Sugar Bowl, Letellier, and Pago Hop Stakes, to be run on Dec. 27, will be drawn on Friday, Dec. 17.

“With the type of horses and trainers we have on the backside here year in and year out we thought it was the perfect opportunity to have these stakes with Derby and Oaks points attached four weeks out from Lecomte Day,” Fair Grounds' racing secretary Scott Jones said. “It's perfect timing too, as most of our open horses come from Churchill Downs and it's four weeks removed from their Stars Of Tomorrow card. You'll see a lot of 2-year-olds that ran on that day reappear here on Dec 26.”

Run over 1 1/16 miles, the Gun Runner is named for the local winner of the 2016 Risen Star and Louisiana Derby. He also counts the 2017 Breeders Cup Classic (G1) and 2018 Pegasus World Cup (G1) among his top stakes scores.

Brad Cox leads all trainers with six Gun Runner nominees, including Dean Maltzman's Kaely's Brother, the adjudicated winner of the Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs, and Frank Fletcher Racing Operations and Ten Strike Racing's Rocket Dawg, a dominant winner at first asking at Churchill Downs on Nov. 19.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has a trio of horses nominated to the Gun Runner including dominant recent maiden winners in Ed and Susie Orr's All In Sync and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Epicenter.

Other top nominees to the Gun Runner include: Tom R. Durant's Tejano Twist, who has already racked up three wins for trainer Bret Calhoun, including the Lively Shively last out on the Nov. 27 Stars of Tomorrow card at Churchill Downs and C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stables' White Abarrio, who has two wins and a recent third place finish behind Smile Happy and Classic Causeway in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs on his resume for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.

Trainer Ken McPeek has a pair of potential aces nominated to the Untapable, to be run over 1 mile and 70 yards, in Dixiana Farms' Cocktail Moments and Bret Jones and Cold Press Racing's Park on the Nile, both of whom won impressively at first asking on the Stars of Tomorrow card.

Cox and Asmussen each boast a trio of Untapable nominees. Cox's fillies include the Godolphin homebred Matereya, who won at first asking in advance of a fifth place finish behind her stablemate Ju Ju's Map in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland and a runner-up performance in the Fern Creek at Churchill Downs last time out. Famed, a Godolphin half sister to likely champion Essential Quality, who was last seen finishing fourth in the Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill and Gregory Hoffman's Golden Sights, a recent maiden dominator at Keeneland, are also Untapable options for Cox.

Asmussen's Untapable nominees are led by an impressive first out winner in the Stonestreet homebred La Crete, who is a half sister to last year's Rachel Alexandra winner Clariere.

Chris Walsh's California Angel, the 17-1 upset winner of the Jessamine (G2) on the Keeneland turf in advance of a disappointing 11th place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar, is also nominated to the Untapable, which is named for the 2014 winner of the locally-run Rachel Alexandra and Fair Grounds Oaks in addition to the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders Cup Distaff that same year.

The list of nominees and the past performances for all 11 stakes to be run at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots on Dec. 26-27 can be found here https://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbHorsemenAreaSNHW.cfm?trk=FG.

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Off slowly in the field of 11, the 3-year-old gelded son of Street Boss, was far off the early pace set by 1.30-1 favorite Mangelsen through honest early fractions of :23.81, :48.97, and 1:14.15 with the rail 20 feet out on the Stall-Wilson Turf Course, but once jockey Deshawn Parker found clear sailing to the outside, the horse did the rest.

“We wanted to get a little better break, but he didn't break too sharp today,” Parker said. “He was so relaxed on the backside. When I called on him, he gave me an explosion. He gobbled them up so fast. As soon as I got to them, he just rolled by.”

Sent off as the third choice at 3.40-1, Who Took the Money stopped the timer in 1:45.93 for the 1 1/16 miles distance on grass, besting fellow deep closers Budro Talking (13.40-1), also trained by Calhoun) and Treys Midnight Moon by 5 ¾ and 7 ¾ lengths respectively, while the pacesetting Mangelsen faded to third.

Who Took the Money was cross-entered in the Classic, but trainer Bret Calhoun opted to run eventual runner-up Highland Creek there instead.

“We tried him (Who Took the Money) on turf once before and he ran alright,” Calhoun said. “We had two horses that could have gone either way so I had to make a tough decision. Knowing his pedigree, I just thought he would be the right one for the grass. He really showed the kind of turn of foot today that we were wanting to see. We were disappointed a little early on because of the break and we were kind of buried behind traffic. I wasn't optimistic early in the race, but when he (rider Parker) kicked him out. The horse exploded.”

Last year as a 3-year-old, Who Took the Money flipped in the post parade prior to the running of the Crescent City Derby, but won the race anyway as the .50-1 favorite. His behavior hasn't improved all that much since.

“He's not as difficult to train as he is to run,” Calhoun explained. “The antics in the paddock and going to the gate, he'll test you. He's got quite a bit of ability, but he's got some (mental) issues.”

With the win, Who Took the Money boosted his record to 8-5-0-1 with earnings of $217,627.

“At the top of the stretch I was looking at Bret and I didn't think we had a shot, and then boom,” Thomas said. “We really didn't know what to expect. We thought he'd be alright on the turf. Bret made a good call (to run him in this race). Deshawn rode a great race. We're delighted.”

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It was a valiant effort by the bettor's 1.30-1 favorite Winning Romance to set the early fractions of :24.63 and :48.85 and hold on for second. But jockey Jorge Guzman and Fort Polk took it to her coming into the turn, accelerating three wide, passing at the ¾ pole, and keeping to business in the home stretch to win by two lengths. Make it $226,650 in lifetime earnings and a 30-7-4-8 record for this daughter by Behindatthebar that has been with trainer Patrick Mouton's barn from day one.

“She's always been a good horse,” Mouton said. “Actually, I think she is getting better with age. She is going to be six pretty soon. She ran super all summer. We got beat only once when we ran on turf and she doesn't really care for the turf.”

Fort Polk has won four out of the last five since adding blinkers. The one loss coming on turf – to Net A Bear. Jockey Jorge Guzman had a ton of horse that day but went wide in traffic and had to pump the breaks often when Fort Polk got in too tight and Net a Bear left her in the clippings. Tables turned in the Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Distaff and Fort Polk gave her five lengths of dirt to chew on until they meet again.

“She was a little flat,” Net a Bear's regular rider Timothy Thornton said. “We know she is better on the grass, but you know we were hoping it would set up good for her. She ran her race, she was just a little bit flat. She is a much better grass horse than on the dirt. She is a nice filly. I was tracking the winner the whole way around there and when he went at the 3/8ths pole, I tried going with him, but she just didn't have enough.”

The pace unfolded as expected as Winning Romance took the lead, Elieen Alexandra pressed, Quikfast n Ahurry sat the pocket trip, and Net a Bear followed Fort Polk through two turns. Winning Romance ran well enough but early company made it hard to battle and sustain.

“We got pressured from the 5 [Eileen Alexandra] down the backstretch,” Winning Romance's rider Deshawn Parker said, “but she gave her all to the finish.”

Louisiana Champions Day is like the Breeders; Cup for local connections. They target these races and put their hearts into reaching the winner's circle. Once there, Patrick Mouton took it all in and expressed his satisfaction.

“Listen, I don't travel, I stay here in the state,” Mouton said. “I stay in Louisiana 99 and 9/10% of the time,” Mouton said. “Winning this kind of race is a big deal, it's the epitome.”

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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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A year after he dueled with Shang in the stretch and eked out a Classic win by a head, the 6-year-old was fastest away from the gate, taking the lead over Pound for Pound and Unrestricted into the first turn. He maintained that lead down the backstretch, moving out to a two-length advantage over Pound for Pound and Highland Creek. Into the far turn, Grand Luwegee held on in the face of challenges from those two as they entered the stretch.

Down the Fair Grounds straight, Grand Luwegee was two lengths to the good as Highland Creek passed Pound for Pound midstretch. The 2020 victor had no trouble repeating in 2021, stretching his lead out to three lengths at the wire. Highland Creek was second and Pound for Pound held on for third. Jimi's a Star, Secret Vista, Mageez, and Unrestricted rounded out the order of finish.

The final time was 1:51.00. Find this race's chart here.

Grand Luwegee paid $8.00, $3.40, and $2.60. Highland Creek paid $3.00 and $2.20. Pound for Pound paid $2.20.

Bred in Louisiana by trainer/owner Gerard Perron, Grand Luwegee is by El Corredor out of the Gold Fever mare Magical Mia. With his win in the Lousiana Champions Day Classic, the 6-year-old horse has two wins in nine starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of eight wins in 30 starts and career earnings of $491,150.

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Speedster Elle Z set the pace from the inside post and was joined by far outside drawn Short Summer Dress and a surprisingly keen Elle's Town through opening fractions of :21.92 and :45.97 over a turf course rated as firm. Her speed on full display, Elle Z led every step of the way except the last inch, the one that counts, as she was seized by the marvelous Brooke Marie and jockey Adam Beschizza, who stopped the timer in 1:04.61 for the 5 ½ furlong distance. Kela's Turn (34-1) edged Elle's Town (36-1 for third). The 2.00-1 favorite Love and Money, exiting a first-level allowance win at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., settled into the pocket early but failed to seriously threaten thereafter, settling for fifth.

Training forwardly by all accounts at Keeneland and at Fair Grounds coming in, this Lemon Drop Kid mare has shown tremendous growth and maturity since joining Eddie Kenneally's barn last April.

“We freshened her up this summer and being a big mare expected her to need a race,” assistant trainer on the grounds Kelly Wheeler said. “She really impressed us at Keeneland and came out of the race well. We thought this was a good spot for her even though it was a bit of a step up and she proved that she belongs with this kind.”

Given a sensational ride by perennial meet title contender Beschizza, Brooke Marie broke sharp and settled five lengths back in seventh at the first call. Patiently going two-wide when there was no room in the tightly bunched mix, Beschizza took his live mount four-wide gaining position to fifth behind the slow starting Yes It's Ginger, who had rushed up into a stalking spot. That rival came back to her at the top of the stretch, pushing Brooke Marie out one lane five wide into the fresh paths of the Fair Grounds lawn. Fully extended, Brooke Marie surged to perfection for the head victory.

“She has done phenomenal since Eddie got a hold of her,” winning rider Adam Beschizza said. “She is like a fine wine; she seems to be improving with age. She's not one-dimensional–she's universal, she can close, she can stalk, be on the lead. She is a delight to ride as a jockey and I'm sure she is to train.”

With a field full of live horses looking to assert their presence at Fair Grounds, the last out wire-to-wire winner showed a new trick up her sleeve with her late-kick tactical advantage. With only 6 ¾ lengths separating first to last in the field off 11, others showed grit and growth sure to be on display for the Nelson J. Menard Memorial Stakes, the next fillies and mare turf sprint stakes on January 1st.

After going all out with a clear indication of returned form, Elle Z's connections were left wondering what else they could have done.

“She ran hard but just didn't quite hold on,” jockey Mitchell Murrill said. “Not enough. Elle Z's a great horse herself, but I guess today wasn't her day. She may have got a little tired on me towards the end, but she gave 110%. All I can ask for.”

The win was Brooke Marie's fifth overall, but first in a stakes (13-5-3-1). With the victory, the 5-year-old daughter of Lemon Drop Kid boosted her career bankroll to $281,230.

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Ron Faucheux, who earned his first local crown last season, and three-time champion jockey James Graham return to defend their titles over the 80 days of racing, scheduled between Nov. 25, 2021 and March 27, 2022. They will have targets on their backs as the usual suspects and some newcomers show up to vie for the crown.

At the helm of one of the country's premier barns, four-time Fair Grounds champion Brad Cox will have something to say about who wins this year's title. Steve Asmussen, North America's all-time leading trainer by wins, returns as well as perennial contender, Thomas Amoss. Cox, Asmussen, and Amoss will surely be peppering in 2-year-olds to watch and 3-year-olds to compete in the Road to Derby Races — the newly coined Gun Runner (Dec. 26), Grade 3 Lecomte (Jan. 22), Grade 2 Risen Star (Feb. 19), and the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby (March 26).

Some exciting barns with larger-than-normal presences include Michael Maker, Brendan Walsh, and Mark Casse. Joe Sharp's and Michael Stidham's stalls will be flush as well.

Jockey newcomers include Jareth Loveberry who had a 30% percent win rate during the 2021 Arlington meet. He has won multiple riding titles at Arlington and Canterbury, and looking at his mounts for opening day, top trainers are excited to employ his services. Also, Reylu Gutierrez, in the midst of a career-year by purses earned, descends upon New Orleans ready to show the world why he is ready to take his game to the next level.

The opening card is drawn and the fields are big. The card averages over nine horses in each of the nine races. Beginning with a pair of Louisiana-bred races filled with horses who have taken a recent break, there will definitely be value on the board. From there the competitive fields are filled out with many horses who spent the fall at Keeneland and Churchill Downs. One 2-year-old to watch is Godolphin-owned and Stidham-trained Walhalla. Ridden by Murrill last out, Walhalla showed his early speed and will to win, fighting back after being passed to lose by ½ length in a nine-furlong maiden special weight race at Keeneland.

The 97th running of the Thanksgiving Classic is slotted 7th on the card with a post time of 3:12 CT. Pay attention to the class differences between the three main contenders: Just Might, Necker Island, and Greely and Ben. Just Might has spent a lot of his career facing graded-company, the pinnacle of that being his start in the 2020 Breeders Cup Sprint. Necker Island has had a solid 4-year-old campaign after his 3-year-old highlight of racing in the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby. But class-climber Greely and Ben comes in as hot as you will find a horse. Winner of nine races in a row, 11 out of 14 this year, Reylu Gutierrez will take his first mount on this Karl Broberg trained gelding, and his speed figures say he will be in the photo at the end.

Thanksgiving this year also heralds the first running of the Joseph R. Peluso Memorial Stakes, named for the longtime racing official who passed away last year. Firing on the turf course after the Thanksgiving Classic, this $75,000 purse will be hotly contested by as evenly-matched field of 11 horses as you will find.

The 80-day, 2021-2022 Fair Grounds racing season runs through Sunday, March 27. Regular post time will be 1:05 p.m. CT, but there will be an earlier noon CT first post on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 25), Louisiana Champions Day (Dec. 11), Road to the Derby Kickoff Day (Dec. 26), Road to the Derby Day (Jan. 22) Louisiana Derby Preview Day (Feb. 19) and Louisiana Derby Day (March 26). There will be over $7 million in stakes races, highlighted by the March 26, $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby. A complete list of the stakes schedule can be found here: http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/

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