Spoiling the comeback of Wells Bayou, winner of the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in 2020, the Charles Fipke homebred Title Ready kicked in with a strong stretch punch to win the G3 Louisiana Stakes for older horses at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., on Saturday.
Ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., the Dallas Stewart-trained son of More Than Ready covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.27, winning by 1 1/4 lengths and paying $13 as the fifth choice in the wagering. Seven horses went postward, with Wells Bayou the 2-1 favorite and Blackberry Wine second choice at 3-1.
Blackberry Wine outhustled Wells Bayou – making his first start since a fifth-place finish in a division of the G1 Arkansas Derby last May 2 – taking the early lead under Adam Beschizza and setting fractions of :25.28, :49.53 and 1:13.91 for the opening six furlongs.
Wells Bayou, who won the 2020 Louisiana Derby alone on the lead, chased throughout, while Title Ready raced in fourth, about three to four lengths behind the leader.
As Wells Bayou tried to challenge the leader, Hernandez got Title Ready rolling on the outside into the stretch and had 1 1/2 lengths to make up with a furlong to run. He gained command in the final sixteenth after a mile time of 1:38.05 and pulled away for the victory.
The win was the fifth in 25 career starts for the 6-year-old Title Ready, who was coming off a 10th-place finish behind Bodexpress in the G1 Clark and before that was seventh to Authentic in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic. Produced from Title Seeker, an unraced daughter of champion Personal Ensign, Title Ready was graded stakes placed several times but the Louisiana was his first stakes victory.
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