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Monte Man Repeats In Louisiana Champions Day Sprint

At the age of eight, Ivery Sisters Racing's Monte Man is the gift that keeps on giving. Claimed for $25,000 way back in October of 2017, the son of Custom for Carlos scored the ninth stakes win of his career on Saturday, repeating the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Sprint.

Fourth behind hot and contested early fractions of :21.58 and :44.53 set by his stablemate Bertie's Galaxy with pressure from Takes Two To Tango, Swot Analysis, and the 1.4-1 favorite No Parole, the table was set, and Monte Man feasted in the stretch.

“Before the race, Ron (trainer Faucheux) and I could almost see it playing into his favor,” Beschizza said. “All the credit to the horse. He's just an iron horse, really. A couple of years ago, they (the connections) could have just retired him and given him a nice second life, but he just seems to be so spontaneous in the mornings. Ron just tells me that, year after year. True to that word, he's bounced back here and Ron had him in great shape. The team has been a huge supporter of mine and I can't thank them enough.”

Bertie's Galaxy (3.50-1) dug in gamely in the stretch, but he could not hold off Monte Man, who prevailed by ¾ of a length, stopping the timer in 1:09.91. It was 4 ½ lengths back to Sir Wellington (4.40-1 in third. No Parole, the former Grade I winner, pressed the pace briefly while four-wide, but he failed to make the course.

“He (No Parole) is fine, but since his layoff, he hasn't shown that he wants to compete in the afternoons despite working well in the mornings,” trainer Tom Amoss said of No Parole. He is completely sound and Maggi (owner Moss) has decided to retire him.”

In his first start off the claim for trainer Ron Faucheux, Monte Man won a local optional claimer in December 2017, which was the start of a seven-race winning streak. After running third in the Sprint in 2018 and fourth in the 2019 renewal, Monte Man won the race last year, and he was up to the task once again.

“I think he's just getting better, we're just getting started with him, you know, we got a long way to go,” Faucheux said in jest. “He's every trainer's dream. He's just so consistent. He gives it his all every race. To have an 8-year-old turning nine, stay sound throughout the whole process, and just continue to progress, it's unbelievable. It's real privilege to train him for Ivery Sister Racing. They let us place him appropriately, take our time between races, and that makes all the difference with this horse. We 100% will go for the three-peat as a 9-year-old.”

Monte Man boosted his career record to 50-18-8-9 with earnings of $794,223.

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Buckley Bunny Surprises In Louisiana Champions Day Lassie

In what was easily the biggest upset of Saturday's Louisiana Champions Day card at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, La., the Whispering Oaks Farm homebred Buckley Bunny rallied from far off the pace to take down the $100,000 Lassie.

Ninth early behind contested fractions of :21.98 and :45.86, the sophomore daughter of Iron Fist picked off a couple of horses on the turn under jockey Kevin Smith before uncorking the winning, five-wide rally in the stretch.

“The plan was just letting her settle herself in and make one run with her. Mr. Steve (trainer Flint) said don't rush her. I took her back, waited until the 3/8ths pole, and let her run. I did what he told me to do. When I let her go, she fought.”

Basalt Street (6.00-1) and Beleout (37.10) battled early, with 2.00-1 favorite Free Like a Girl, the winner of three consecutive stakes coming in, tucked in fifth. She tipped out three-wide and made a solid bid in the stretch, but was simply outkicked by the longshot winner, losing by ¾ of a length over six furlongs run in 1:11.76. It was just another neck back to the late closing Medley (3.80-1) in third.

“I don't think she had any pace to run into last time,” Flint explained. “It's not like filly the filly wouldn't appreciate a stretch like today. We had some pace. Kevin rode her to a tee. I told him, don't move until you hit the 3/8ths pole, let her go, and let's see what we got. She responded well. I got a little of that (93-1).”

A winner at first asking back in June, Buckley Bunny entered the Lassie on a four-race losing streak. She now sports a career record of 6-2-1-1 with earnings of $93.660.

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Who Took the Money Rolls In Louisiana Champions Day Turf

Who Took the Money, the Allied Racing Stable homebred, has been a challenge in many ways, but in Saturday's $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, La., he may have found his niche.

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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Fort Polk Gets Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Distaff Win On Home Ground

Everyone knows the secret to winning begins with getting your opponent on your court, not theirs. For Fort Polk, the 3.10 third choice in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Distaff, home court advantage is the Fair Grounds main track in New Orleans, La. It may have been just what this improving 6-year old needed to beat the one horse who almost always has gotten the best of her, the 2.20-1 second choice Net a Bear. The much-loved previous Louisiana Champion could only muster finishing third of five.

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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