Louisiana Downs week in review (August 7th-10th)

Louisiana Downs week in review (August 7th-10th)

by Jarrod Horak (Louisiana Downs Track Handicapper/TV Host)

I had a solid week handicapping with 10 on top winners through Saturday, but I was only able to get one top choice home in a peculiar Sunday card. Weather played a factor with no turf racing on Friday/Saturday, and we were back on the sod Sunday although the unsettled weather crept back in…

Thursday (August 7th)
Outer lanes were good to start the race week, and the main track continues to play fair with the usual edge to early/pressing types.

Shorebreeze Bandit sure looked good winning the 6th, and I would not be shocked if he steps up and repeats. Make Money Quick (race 7) made short work of MSW turf sprinters, and he is a contender in 1st start versus winners regardless of surface.

Friday (August 8th)
Main track played fair and we were off the turf today. Sustained runners could definitely make up ground over the muddy surface.

British Medium likely needed his local bow. Former SoCal campaigner finished a solid 3rd and probably wants more ground and would not mind turf either. My best bet Hooter Who was necked out of 3rd in the originally scheduled for turf finale, and I’ll look for him to return to the sod next time.

Saturday (August 9th)

Fast track and off the turf again, and another fair surface as well.

Best bet Cream Level (race showed late interest to garner 4th behind a trio of decent sorts (Cocoa Max, Cape Bird, Wadi Suki), and I suspect that a few of those mentioned will not be in this 3L level for very long. Kipper Tyme was a clear 2nd in the 9th, a race originally scheduled for the turf. He is better on the sod and would appreciate a return to that surface next time. Hella Bella rolled off the Dewaine Loy claim in the finale, and it was surprising that barn $$ rider Carlos Gonzanez opted for another.

Sunday (August 10th)
Back on the turf but the weather was ominous throughout the day. Odd card because it looked chalky at first glance, and five of the winners paid $6 or less with chalky exacta and/or tri payouts in many of those contests. The other four winners paid $13.60, $15.80, $18.80, and $49.00, which triggered a $6,079 Pick 6 carryover.

One chalky wire job with the remaining main track winners stalking or closing. Both turf winners came from off the pace.

Miss Patsy was a clear 3rd after doing all of the pace dirty work in the featured turf route. That was her 1st start since June 26th, and I am willing to give her another look next time. The finale was strange indeed as there was not a ton of pace in the paper race, but no less than five vied for early supremacy through a ridiculous 22-3/5 opening quarter in the 7f finale. My top and best bet Rockittown was part of the early scramble between horses from an inner post and probably took the worst of it from a pace/trip perspective. He ended up 5th and I’ll tab with a better trip next out. Petitioner was outside and on the pace and ran a winning race, and the place finisher will graduate soon. 1-3 finishers were flattered by race shape.

John Jacinto continued his push for leading rider with 8 more winners. He still 10 behind Don Simington, but he is slowly chipping away at that advantage. For the record, Simington booted home 5 for the week, as did Carlos Gonzalez.

Pat Mouton had a rock solid July with 7 wins here, and after 1 winner to start off August last week, he saddled an impressive five winners for the week that was. Jacinto ride three, and PVal booted home the other two.