The Louisiana Review
I was visiting my home state of Arkansas last week, so that week was missed. If you’ve never been there, with apologies to my buddy cmd, you ain’t missin’ much. Week 4351 had some knockout performances, including a one-two finish for a trainer in this week’s featured race.
RODOTs
Local bred 2yos were on display in a msw friday, and taffy unleashed first time starter Marshall Minister(LA) for a breezing length and a half win. The Grand Marshall colt laid just off the early speed of Half West(LA) before taking the lead halfway through, cruising home under A Jolly for Taffy’s ba stable.
Lay The Points(KY), a 2yo Arch filly racing for the Right At Home stables, picked up a debut win in a 2yo msw, and the Royal Belgian Kempen Farm sent out Sonic Sensation(KY) for an easy three length allowance victory.
SATURDAY
Saturday’s local bred race, a f&m $5k claimer at 8.5 on the dirt, was nailed down by chacho’s Mi Cielo Chachin, a 6yo Aeropostale mare that was never in trouble under jockey C Morris.
This week’s stakes race was the Under The Carpet Special, carded for older fillies and mares going 8.5 on the lawn, and the Evil Empire made short work of the rest of the field. Alley Justice(KY), a 4yo Empire Maker mare, opened a monstrous lead under A Jolly, hugging the rail while setting some swift fractions. Who should appear from the clouds but Khartoum XI(IRE), lenny’s other entrant, to make a furious run at Alley. No pressure for Alley early on, as well as having to thread through the field a bit, may have cost top jockey F Oxon a win here, coming up just a half length short, five clear of Windfury(KY).
Some other notable performances last week, including a smoking 1:34 1/5 posted over the dirt mile by Quikvett’s 4yo Commands colt, Mr Korn(AUS). Vett kept the horse in Louisiana after a dissappointing performance in the GII Jazz Fest, and he seems to have found last week more to his liking, poting a lifetime best 111 spf under F Oxon. Some extra time in the Bayou State seems to have also helped 2yo msw winner Eternal Rome(KY). Texasace’s Romar Ruler colt posted a resouding 2 1/4 length win after getting an extra half furlong to run with, dispatching early leader Bernard King(KY) with the others well behind. A Jolly was up for the win.
No grouped stables carded multiple wins this saturday, while F Oxon led the jocks with four wins. A Jolly took three, as did D Hogin who has returned from Triple Crown racing.