Stakes Advances: Louisiana-Breds Line Up For $75,000 Crescent City Derby, Oaks
Just hours before some of the top 3-year-olds in the country compete in the Grade II $1 million Louisiana Derby Presented by TwinSpires.com, a baker’s dozen Louisiana-bred 3-year-old colts and geldings will line up over the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots main track for the $75,000 Crescent City Derby, run at one mile and 70 yards over the main track.
Breaking from post ten, Klein Racing’s Gladyousawme will go for his third stakes victory for trainer Brad Cox. The son of Due Date started off his career a perfect 3-for-3. After his career debut victory over the Indiana Grand turf course, he won an allowance race over the Delta Downs main track. Following that pair of efforts, he went on to win the Louisiana Legacy Stakes over the Vinton, La oval on Nov. 18. Gladyousawme was then a well-beaten seventh in the Louisiana Futurity on New Year’s Eve. In his most recent start, he returned to Delta Downs to win the Delta Downs Premier Night Prince Stakes over Ready Prospector (post three, Corey Lanerie). He will receive riding services from Javier Castellano.
Trainer Doug O’Neill ships Triple Crown nominated Gracida who is looking to rebound after a fourth in the Delta Downs Premier Night Prince Stakes which was his first start since a well-beaten seventh in the Gr. I Del Mar Futurity behind Bolt d’Oro. The son of Custom For Carlos broke his maiden at first asking at Del Mar on July 22. He was purchased by O’Neill’s brother Dennis at the Fasig-Tipton Select Sale last March for $400,000 and is a full brother to Grade I winner Big World. He will break from post seven under jockey Terry Thompson.
The Crescent City Derby field also features two stakes winners from the Winter Meet. Pound For Pound (post ten, Florent Geroux) won a division of the Louisiana Futurity on New Year’s Eve before his most recent effort – a well-beaten eighth in the Delta Downs Premier Night Prince Stakes. Greeley Went West (post 12, James Graham) also won a stakes event at the Fair Grounds earlier this meet when taking the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile Stakes on Dec. 9.
Rounding out the field are Stryker Man (post one, Jansen Melancon), In Charge Halo (post two, Shaun Bridgmohan), Exigent (post four, Calvin Borel), Double Star (post five, Mitchell Murrill), Uncle Nearis (post six, Adam Beschizza), Grand Luwegee (post eight, Roberto Morales), Battle At Sea (post nine, Jose Ortiz), Treys Midnite Moon (post 11, Colby Hernandez).
Louisiana-bred fillies will have their turn four races earlier in the $75,000 Crescent City Oaks, which also is run at one mile and 70 yards. Drawing the outside in the field of seven is Saint’s Girl – a daughter of Overanalyze who will make her stakes debut for trainer Dallas Stewart. Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds LLC, she broke her maiden second time out over an off track at the Fair Grounds by 13¼ lengths going one mile before shortening up to six furlongs to defeat winners on March 3. Florent Geroux has the mount.
Just to the inside of Saint’s Girl is Brittlyn Stable Inc.’s Testing One Two - a two-time stakes winner who takes a drop in class following a fifth-place effort in the Gr. II Rachel Alexandra Stakes. The daughter of Star Guitar won the Louisiana Jewel Stakes by an empathic 16½ lengths before defeating open company in the Take Charge Brandi Stakes, both events were contested at Delta Downs. Testing One Two is cross-entered in the Gr. II $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks on the same day, but should she opt to face fellow state-breds, she will break from post six under Diego Saenz.
Champagne Diva (post one, Corey Lanerie), Remember Daisy (post two, Mitchell Murrill), Special Blessing (post three, Gabriel Saez), Tap Dance Star (post four, Jose Riquelme), Thegrayspider (post five, Larry Taylor).
Photo Courtesy of Hodges Photography