Claimers Get Their Day in Louisiana
Recap of the Claiming Crown in Louisiana
I gave you the cold exacta in the Cinderella, dudes. THE IN CROWD over favorite BLACK DIAMOND STAR! The new trainer of the latter of the claim, eternity, decided to send her early, and she did battle with pacesetter HAPPY TIME. That left an opening for the winner to pull through and win in a mild upset.
In the Green with Envy, DIESIS LEGACY dawdled along almost twenty lengths in arrears, with only YOU ARE PLEASANT in his neighborhood. But when the real running began well past the twelve furlong mark, DIESIS LEGACY kicked into gear and put them all away rather easily. YOU ARE PLEASANT followed his charge home, and GREYHUNT R. stayed on reasonably after setting the pace to keep third.
Bernardini product HARD TO TELL took the Long John Silver, satisfying the betting public. He didn’t need to equal the best of his recent career to win, running just a 97 with a blazing late charge. I had tabbed 38-1 longshot MR. CADET for the show, but instead he ran the race of his life from the outside post to $277 exacta. Distance specialist I BEN SUCKERED checked in third.
In the Showstopper Division 1, MICHAEL CRICHTON followed DIGNIFIED ROBOT all the way around the track, and even third place runner WHISTLING SPIRIT never deviated from that position the entire nine furlongs. DIGNIFIED ROBOT posted a juicy 107 speed in his win.
Division 2 went to OZZZY DAZZLER, as the only sophomore in the field showed his last out win was no fluke, even off the claim. EXBOURNE’S COURT couldn’t hold off the winner, but did just outfinish late-moving OLD PRO PRADO for the place.
It was NOYES NO NO‘s turn to step up in the Ruby Tuesday, posting a career-high 103 speed. Rowdster had LAZY BARB laying back early in his first race in that barn, and he put in his usual quality performance to take second. Longshot RATTLE THE SABRE held on for third.
SPEED DAEMON defied her name to give Trotter201 a win in the Grass Gown, sweeping by GIVE HER A SHOT and BARB’S SOPPRESETTA.
Favored MICHIGAN turned in another impressive performance to win the Get Going Fast over COSTA ME CREDITS. PLANET BEATER outran his odds in the pacemaking style to secure the show spot.
In the Midnight Express first division, I’D BE LION stayed enough off the pace to put away BELIEVE N MUSIC at the top of the stretch and draw away. FANTASTIC SPECIAL split those two late to finish second.
In the next division, MY PROJECTS parlayed an allowance win in his last out into a Claiming Crown title. He and HEAD N OUT came thrillingly through the pack late to finish one-two.
Favorite MIRA MESA couldn’t respond when needed in the Steel Horse, so it was the senior horse in the race, STRONG RIVER, who won a three-way photo with pacesetter FINDING FAULT and deep closing DIAMOND SHIELD.