Flurry Content To Play Small Ball With Lady Flurry

Staton Flurry is set to be represented over the next couple of weekends in major graded stakes in the Midwest, but the Arkansas native is also not one to shy away from his Mid-South roots. On June 20, an otherwise sleepy and uneventful Monday afternoon on the American racing scene, Flurry homebred Lady Flurry (Lord Nelson) raised more than a few eyebrows, streaking home to best fellow Louisiana-breds by some nine lengths in a time that nearly lowered a track record that had been around for nearly four decades.

“I didn't expect that big of a blowout, but we knew she was training good going into it,” the Hot Springs native said of the filly, who was off as the 1-2 chalk. “We knew she had some speed in her and there is plenty of speed in her pedigree, but hard to say we expected that. To be that close to the track record was great.”

The listed track record for 4 1/2 furlongs was set by the future stakes winner Sondor when romping in by 10 lengths May 16, 1984. Lady Flurry was timed in an eased-down :51.63, with a final sixteenth in :5.96.

Flurry campaigned Lady Flurry's Arkansas-bred dam Patchofbadweather (Storm and a Half) to five wins from 13 starts–all between five and six furlongs–including the Lady Razorback Futurity in 2014. Patchofbadweather's dam was the champion Argentinian sprinter Preflorada (Arg) (Choir Prospect, by Mr. Prospector), who won a Group 1 sprint over five furlongs in :54.10. Flurry elected to send Patchofbadweather to the recently departed Lord Nelson for her 2019 covering.

“I just loved him for his speed, he was a big, fast, good-looking horse and, like I said, my mare's got some speed in her pedigree,” Flurry said. “Just took the approach of breed speed to speed and hope it holds.”

The owner/breeder said Lady Flurry was attractive and straight-forward growing up.

“She was always very smart,”he said. “All the Lord Nelsons I've seen are great-looking animals. She was always really easy to deal with, whereas her mom was a complete wild animal, an Arky-bred who had a mind of her own. She was fast also, but this filly is a whole lot more gentle to be around than her mom was. Definitely excited to see what the future holds for her.”

Having earned a strong 71 Beyer Speed Figure for the debut run, one wouldn't blame Flurry and trainer Karl Broberg for shooting for the stars. Instead, Flurry is happy enough to run the filly with her 'friends' and broach the subject of loftier targets somewhere in the future as her performance merits.

“We'll point her for the state-bred stakes the rest of the year, see if we can knock a few of those off and maybe see if she can't be champion 2-year-old filly in Louisiana,” he said. “For the most part, we'd like to keep her with her own kind, but I do think she can be competitive in open company.”

Flurry indicated that he returned Patchofbadweather to Arkansas earlier this year and the mare has a “really nice Army Mule colt” on the ground.

“The state-bred programs in Louisiana and Arkansas are so lucrative and it isn't a bad thing at all to have an Arkansas-bred these days,” he said.

Meanwhile, Flurry's part-owned 2020 GI Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) drew the outside stall in a field of five for Saturday's GII Fleur de Lis S. at Churchill Downs on a slightly bigger stage.

“She's been training great, probably as well as she's trained in a long time,” Flurry said of the 5-year-old mare, campaigned in partnership with Whisper Hill Farm and Qatar Racing. “Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) looks like she's taken a step forward and we'll have to match her, but [Shedaresthedevil] is doing great. We're expecting a big effort out of her this weekend and hopefully get her back in the winner's circle. We're taking it race by race with her, with the Breeders' Cup the goal, and we're going to work backwards from there. This is the first step.”

Flurry's own colors will be carried aboard GII Black-Eyed Susan S. winner Interstatedaydream (Classic Empire) when she makes her next start in the GIII Indiana Oaks at Horseshoe Indiana July 9. Shedaresthedevil won the same event two years ago as a prelude to her victory in the COVID-19-delayed Kentucky Oaks.

 

 

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Delta Downs’ Louisiana Premier Day Includes 10 Stakes Races On Feb. 5

Delta Downs in Vinton, La. will host its richest race program of the season on Saturday, Feb. 5, when the track will award $933,000 in total purse money throughout 11 races, included 10 stakes, all for Louisiana-bred horses. The event is called Louisiana Premier Day, and this year marks the 19th renewal of the event which will kick off with a special first post time of 12 noon.

The featured race on the card will be the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Day Championship for older horses competing at 1-1/16 miles, which will be the 10th race on the program. This year's Championship attracted a full field of 12, which includes two also eligible runners.

The Championship is guaranteed to have a new winner this year. Underpressure, who has won the last two editions of the race, was not entered this year. The lukewarm 3-1 morning line favorite for Saturday's feature is Keith Plaisance's Langs Day, who won the Gold Cup at Delta Downs on October 30 impressively before finishing a hard closing second in a tough allowance race last time out on January 12.

The Championship field also includes Kendel D. Standlee's Izzy's Baby Boy (5-1), who most recently won a dramatic B Connected Stakes on New Year's Day; Robert Asaro Enterprises, Inc's Maga Man (8-1), who comes into the event with the highest career earnings mark of $289,480; and the Sam B. David, Jr. trainee Jax Man (6-1), who ran second, only a neck behind Izzy's Baby Boy, in the B Connected.

Fans will also be in for a treat when the $100,00 Louisiana Premier Day Matron rolls around as Grade 2 winner Cilla takes on several rivals in the five-furlong dash for older fillies and mares. The Brett Brinkman trainee and daughter of the great California Chrome is the solid 6-5 favorite as she goes for her seventh career win and attempts to add to her lofty $416,000 bankroll.

Another race that will get plenty of attention will be the $100,000 Louisiana Premier Day Starlet. The one-mile event will be a rematch between 5-2 morning line favorite Free Like a Girl and Medley. Medley narrowly defeated Free Like a Girl in the $100,000 Louisiana Lassie Stakes at Fair Grounds on December 11. But Medley has never raced at Delta Downs and Free Like A Girl is undefeated in Vinton with two stakes tallies in as many starts earlier this meet. On October 22 she romped by 18-1/2 lengths in the $100,000 Louisiana Jewel and on November 19 she scored another impressive win in the $100,000 My Trusty Cat.

In addition to the many local horsemen taking part in Louisiana Premier Day, there are also some nationally prominent trainers who will saddle horses on the program. They include Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, as well as Karl Broberg, Tom Amoss, W. Bret Calhoun and many others.

Delta Downs will offer the DRF Bets $50,000 Guaranteed All Stakes Pick 4 wager on the Louisiana Premier Day program. The special wager will take place on race 8 – 11, which includes the afternoon's richest race, the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Day Championship serving as the penultimate leg. The special wager will also include an ultra-low takeout of just 12%.

Delta Downs will also welcome a special guest to its simulcast program during Louisiana Premier Day. Nationally known horse racing analyst and commentator Martha Claussen will join track announcer Don Stevens on the simulcast show as a co-host, handicapper and trackside reporter following the major stakes races.

Listed below are each Louisiana Premier Day race in program order.

Race # Purse Stakes Race Distance Age

1 $50,000 LAPD Bon Temps Starter 5 furlongs 4yo & up FM

2 $100,000 LAPD Matron 5 furlongs 4yo & up FM

3 $38,000 (La-bred Maidens) 7-1/2 furlongs 3yo

4 $50,000 LAPD Ragin Cajun Starter 5 furlongs 4yo & up

5 $100,000 LAPD Starlet 1 mile 3yo FM

6 $60,000 LAPD Ladies Starter 1 mile 4yo & up

7 $100,000 LAPD Sprint 5 furlongs 4yo & up

8 $125,000 LAPD Distaff 1 mile 4yo & up FM

9 $100,000 LAPD Prince 1 mile 3yo

10 $150,000 LAPD Championship 1-1/16 miles 4yo & up

11 $60,000 LAPD Gentlemen Starter 1-1/16 miles 4yo & up

The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association will be awarding two (2) $1,000 college scholarships via a drawing that will take place on Louisiana Premier Day.

Entries for the LTBA drawing will be taken at a designated booth between 11 am and 12 noon. Winners will be announced after the fifth race and will have to be present to win when the announcement is made from winner's circle. To qualify for the drawing, entrants must be enrolled full time for spring or summer 2022 classes and in good standing with their Louisiana college or university.

For more information about Louisiana Premier Day and the remainder of Delta Downs' current season, which runs through March 5, visit the track's website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also follow the track on Facebook and Twitter.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.

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Custom for Carlos Colt Tops Louisiana Sale

A colt by Custom for Carlos (hip 7) topped the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association's 2021 Yearling and Mixed Sale Saturday in Opelousas, Louisiana on a winning bid of $47,000 from Ricky Lagrange. Bred by Larry Romero, the bay is out of speedy 10-time winner Labadeel (Forest Wildcat). He was consigned by Clear Creek Stud, which was responsible for the auction's top seven lots. Another Clear Creek-consigned Custom for Carlos RNA'd for $49,000. Click here for complete results.

The post Custom for Carlos Colt Tops Louisiana Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Louisiana Downs Schedules Six Stakes For Louisiana Cup Day On Aug. 21

Quality Louisiana-bred horses will take center stage on Saturday, Aug. 21, when Louisiana Downs presents Louisiana Cup Day. Post time will be 2:45 pm (CT) for the annual event that will include main track and turf stakes.

Louisiana Cup Day continues to be an excellent afternoon of racing for breeders, owners, trainers and jockeys with an esteemed list of past winners receiving recognition from the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association (LTBA) when they announce their annual champions. Ivery Sisters's Racing's Monte Man, Tri-Star Racing's Our Lost Love, Rodney Verret's Laughingsaintssong, Barrone Farms LLC's Is Too and Tin Roof Farms LLC's Snowball are just a few of the Louisiana Cup Day stakes winners who have been honored by the LTBA.

“Louisiana Cup Day is a great day for the breeders in our state and fans at Louisiana Downs to see some of the top Thoroughbreds in Louisiana,” said David Heitzmann, Director of Racing. “The day would not be possible without the support of Ed Fenasci, Executive Director of the HBPA and Roger Heitzmann, Executive Director of the LTBA. We look forward to presenting an excellent card on August 21.”

The six Louisiana Cup Day Stakes are as follows:

  • $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile 2 YO LA-Bred Six furlongs
  • $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies 2 YO Fillies LA-Bred Six furlongs
  • $50,000 Louisiana Cup Filly & Mare Sprint 3 YO & Up F&M, LA-Bred Six furlongs
  • $50,000 Louisiana Cup Sprint 3 YO & Up LA-Bred Six furlongs
  • $50,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic 3 YO & Up LA-Bred 1 1/16 miles (T)
  • $50,000 Louisiana Distaff 3 YO & Up F & M LA-Bred 1 1/16 miles (T)

Nominations for Louisiana Cup Day will close on Saturday, August 7. Contact David Heitzmann at dheitzmann@caesars.com or by calling (318) 741-2511.

The post Louisiana Downs Schedules Six Stakes For Louisiana Cup Day On Aug. 21 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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