News - Preview April  17, 2024

Seven Official State-Bred Stakes Headline Saturday's Louisiana Showcase Night at Delta Downs


Louisiana showcase takes center stage Saturday at Delta Downs, $744,302 Lee Berwick Futurity highlights richest card of the year

© Coady Photography

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

VINTON, LA--July 13, 2022--Seven state-bred stakes, topped by the 350-yard, $744,302 Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1) for 2-year-olds, are on the schedule for Saturday's rich Louisiana Showcase Night at Delta Downs.

Nine juveniles are entered back in the Lee Berwick Futurity, headed by the undefeated San Lorenzo Jet. A bay son of Jet Black Patriot trained by Jesus M. Marquez for owner Rogelio Marquez Jr., San Lorenzo Jet set the fastest overall qualifying time with a 2 1/4-length victory in his trial. The colt has won all three of his starts, including the 330-yard, $332,000 Louisiana Breeders' Laddie Futurity (RG2), and he has earned $181,259.

San Lorenzo Jet was a $49,000 purchase at last year's Louisiana QHBA Yearling Sale. The colt drew post 5 and will be ridden by David Alvarez.

The Lee Berwick Futurity honors the memory of the late Lee Berwick, the founder of Delta Downs and a member of the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
  1. Party Tyme (Nestor Duran), 8-1
  2. San Lorenzo Train (Raul Ramirez Jr.), 10-1
  3. Jeg Fascination (Francisco Calderon), 10-1
  4. Xtra (Victor Urieta Jr.), 9-2
  5. San Lorenzo Jet (David A. Alvarez), 6-5
  6. Carters Wild Cat (Roman A. Huerta), 15-1
  7. TF One Sweet Wokatee (Ali Rivera), 15-1
  8. Konnan Cartel (Ubaldo Luna), 6-1
  9. Ruse Splash Train (J.R. Ramirez), 15-1

Also on Saturday, a full field of 10 Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds are entered back in the 400-yard, $188,160 Delta Downs Derby (RG3).

BM AQ Racing LLC's Shesa Knockoutcartel, a stakes-winning daughter of the Corona Cartel stallion Five Bar Cartel, drew post 2 and will be ridden by David A. Alvarez for trainer Martin Trejo. The filly has earned $48,813 from three races at Delta Downs this season, and her two wins include a one-length victory as the 5-2 favorite in the 350-yard, $89,000 Old South Derby on May 20.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:
  1. Louisiana Tequila (James A. Flores), 5-2
  2. Shesa Knockoutcartel (David A. Alvarez), 5-1
  3. Mr Perfect TLC (J.R. Ramirez), 10-1
  4. Patriotic Trump (Juan F. Garcia Jr.), 4-1
  5. TDZ Heza Streakin (Arturo Alvarez), 15-1
  6. An Incredible Moment (Gilbert Ortiz), 20-1
  7. Blessher Sweet Heart (Guadalupe Lucio Jr.), 9-2
  8. Greatest Of All Time (Heriberto Aguiiar-Orozco), 20-1
  9. Flying Adelia (Ubaldo Luna), 8-1
  10. JLA Double Down Dash (Russell Leblanc), 15-1

Post time for Saturday's first race is set for 6:15 p.m. (CDT). Post time for the night's first stakes race, the 870-yard, $50,000 Live Oak Stakes (R), is set for 7:05.

A full field of eight Louisiana-bred distance specialists is entered in the Live Oak, topped by morning-line favorite Sarahs Patriot. A 4-year-old daughter of Game Patriot trained racing for Gilbert Matthews from the barn of trainer Phillip Calais Jr., Sarahs Patriot has won all three of her outs at the 870 distance, including the June 11, $25,000 Virgil Bond Stakes.

Sarahs Patriot drew post 5 and will be ridden by Juan F. Garcia Jr.

Paragon Farms LLC's Lifeinthefastlanes will make her 5-year-old season debut in Saturday's 330-yard, $50,000 Flashy Hemp Stakes (R) for state-bred distaffers. Trained by Kenneth Roberts Sr., the daughter of champion Jess Louisiana Blue will be making her first start since December 11, when she scored a 1 1/4-length victory as the odds-on favorite in the 400-yard, $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic Stakes (RG2) at Fair Grounds Racecourse in New Orleans.

Lifeinthefastlanes has won 11 of 17 starts -- including six of 10 at Delta Downs -- and she has earned $514,381. The mare drew post 9 and will be ridden by David A. Alvarez.

A Political Toast, a stakes winner during the current meet, leads a field of 10 state-bred sprinters in Saturday's 220-yard, $50,000 Flashy Hemp Stakes (R). Trained by Gilberto Rosales for owner CB Racing Stables, A Political Toast scored an upset victory at odds of 11-1 in the April 29, 250-yard Delta Dash Stakes. The 4-year-old Apollitical Blood gelding drew post 2 and will be ridden by Heriberto Aguilar-Orozco.

Rogelio Marquez Jr.'s San Lorenzo Moon drew post 5 for Saturday's 350-yard, $70,000 Louisiana Juvenile Stakes (R) for state-bred 2-year-olds. A homebred Apollitical Blood filly trained by Jesus M. Marquez, San Lorenzo Moon has banked $59,918 from three races, and her early season record includes a second-place finish, 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Btrain, in the May 27, $311,000 Louisiana Breeders' Lassie Futurity (RG2).

San Lorenzo Moon drew post 5 and will be ridden by David A. Alvarez.

Hezaa Fast Boy, the 5-2 morning-line favorite for Saturday's 440-yard, $70,000 Louisiana Classic Stakes (RG2), will be stretching out in distance off of his half-length victory in the 400-yard, $60,000 Vals Fortune/Teddy Abrams Jr. Stakes (RG2) on July 1. The 5-year-old Heza Fast Dash gelding is trained by Jesus M. Marquez for owner Rogelio Marquez Jr.

Hezaa Fast Boy drew post 5 and will be ridden by David A. Alvarez.

Listed below are the eight Louisiana-bred stakes races that will take place on Saturday night in program order.

Race     Stakes Race                              Purse                Age                 Distance
3          Live Oak                                     $50,000           3YO&Up            870 yards
4          Flashy Hemp                              $50,000           3YO&Up F&M   330 yards
5          Louisiana Starter                        $40,000           3YO&Up           350 yards
6          Flying Breed                               $50,000           3YO&Up            220 yards
7          Louisiana Juvenile                      $70,000           2YO                  350 yards
8          Louisiana Classic (RG2)             $70,000           3YO & Up          440 yards
9          Delta Downs Derby (RG3)          $188,160         3YO                  400 yards
10        Lee Berwick Fut. (RG1)               $744,302         2YO                  350 yards

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association will conduct drawings for four (4) college scholarships totaling $8,000 during the Louisiana Showcase Night program. Scholarship entrants must be Louisiana high school graduates or a Louisiana high school student graduating in 2022 and planning to attend a higher education institution in the state.

Those eligible may sign up at the LQHBA Scholarship registration table beginning at 5 pm. Registration will close promptly after the fourth race and the winners will be announced in the winner’s circle after race five. All entrants must be present to win.

All Delta Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.
 
Courtesy Ses