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

The winners keep on rolling (knock on wood) with 10 top selections getting the job done, including a smokin’ Saturday with 4 tops and 4 trifectas. 3rd straight Best Bet winner Mz. Myrtle ($5.20) kicked off the racing week, and I finished the week on a high note with suggested Majestic Commander/Triple Points Day best bet exacta returning a sweet $61.60.

Thursday (August 21st)

Off the turf and drying out main track upgraded to fast by the 8th race. Four wire jobs with inside lanes best, especially during the first half of the card. Track and lanes seemed to switch to the fair side as the day wore on.

Flamingo Key (race 3) collared loose on the lead inside speedster Aggressive Gold to get through this 2L extended sprint. Lightly raced Andrew Leggio Jr. trainee has plenty of upside and is worth following. Beaten fav Elluna (race 4) was claimed by Pam Simpson, and watch for her money rider Donnie Meche to hop aboard next time. Bamboo Gap (race 6) was the overbet fav in this compact off the turf extended sprint. He ended up an okay 3rd behind a pair of better main track performers, and the Sam David Jr. runner can rebound on the turf next time.

Four wins for John Jacinto to kick off the week, and hard charging trainer Pat Mouton saddled a pair of winners.

Friday (August 22nd)

Fast main track and off the turf again. Four more wire jobs with outside rallying types winning a few as well.

Shawklit Royale was the beaten fav (2nd by a neck) in the opener, and he was nabbed out of the heat by claiming artist Jerry Cart, who is 41% 1st off the claim. Illuminique (race 2) continued her sharp form with a good looking wire job, and she was re-claimed once again by Jan Haynes/Jorge Lara. Miss Beccas Gold (race 5) flopped as the fav stretching back out 1st off the Jorge Lara claim. Joe Duhon bought her back, and maybe he turns her back in distance and reunites with Torres next time. Maybe she is best as a late running sprinter after all. Clear place finisher Windaroo (race 6) was much improved 2nd time out, and the Pat Mouton runner was getting to wire job winner Regent Rules in the late stages. Disappointing best bet Dot’s Imp (race 7) had no visible excuses but did face some decent droppers and is worth playing back.

Hat trick for Carlos Gonzalez, and Francisco Torres/Joe Duhon teamed up for a pair of wins.

Saturday (August 23rd)
Fast track before late day rains made the finale sloppy. Soft turf feature the only race to be run on the grass all week. Only one wire job over a main track that clearly favored stalkers and closers.

Galfriend (race 3) ended up 3rd as the fav, and Cody Autrey has her now…look out next time. I Know I’m Special (race 5) landed the place as the fav behind her uncoupled stablemate, and she was claimed by the recently hot Dewaine Loy. She will not be a maiden much longer. Note that Loy won the 4th with Fridaydathirteenth, and he re-claimed 5th place finisher Crafty Earl. Expect the latter to attempt a wire job under fav pilot Gonzalez next time. Autobeacat (race 9) sat the right ground saving tracking trip under Donnie Meche en route to a good looking $100k World Series of Poker triumph. Sister Ticket (race 10) surprisingly drifted up to 4-1 in the finale, and the turf/dirt winner was turning back to a preferred main track sprint. The betting public seemingly forgot how impressive she was in her 3rd place debut after blowing the break and galloping out strongly.

Hat trick for Donnie Meche, including his 11th turf winner since July 11th, and two more wins for Carlos Gonzalez and Francisco Torres.

Sunday (August 24th)

Fast track and off the turf. Four wire jobs to conclude the week as the track profile definitely shifted from the day before.

A pair of favs in the maiden ranks failed to deliver the goods on the track after getting fractious in the paddock. Opening Wild (race 2) and Channel Surfer (race 5) were the culprits, and the latter was especially wound up (flipped). Both finished 4th and are worth a gander next time if their behavior mellows out. Louisianalagniappe (race was pitched over her head in a tough optional claiming feature, and she never got involved in last place finish. Sustained runner won a state bred $15k extended sprint claimer on July 13th, and she moves to the sharp Keith Bourgeois barn via claim. Best bet Triple Points Day chased lone speed Master Commander while 4-wide and fought hard to hold the place.

Rider of the week Carlos Gonzalez added a pair on Sunday and ended the week with 7 winners. Leading rider Don Simington only booted home two in an off week.

Dewaine Loy continued his scorching August with 3 more wins, and the aforementioned Gonzalez rode all three. Leading trainer Jorge Lara saddled a pair of winners on Sunday, and Jan Haynes owned both.

Post from: Thoroughbred Fever

My Thoroughbred Fever blog has returned following a brief hiatus, so let’s catch up with my weekly Louisiana Downs reports.

For those not familiar with this site, I am the Track Handicapper/TV host for Harrah’s Louisiana Downs, and I post horses to watch, jockey/trainer reports, track bias info, etc. in a week in review format from my home track, along with racing news and handicapping from across the globe.

Below are my thoughts from the week that was from LA Downs…

*** Did not have the best handicapping luck, but did peg Madame Elle ($16.80) on Thursday, and Champions Day best bet Diggy Fresh ($13.40) saved the day…and the week for that matter. Tough trips for more than one of my tops, including Zekes Fortune (c.meche, wide post 10), Tar Pot (c.meche, wide turf), Valid Romance (i.diego, traffic), Bandido (cj hernandez, traffic), T Kettle (c.meche, slow start rail), Isle of Silver (c.meche, slow start rail), and Irish Alert (d.simington, steadied start).

*** Both surfaces played fair. Early/pressing speed remains an asset on the main. Controlling speed is fine on turf, but duels are typically setting things up for off the pace types.

*** Rider of the week was a scramble with Donnie Meche booting home 5 winners, followed by Leblanc (4), Gonzalez (3), Jacinto (3), L.Meche (3) and Torres (3). Leading rider Don Simington was shut out on Champions Day and only rode 2 winners for the week. Gerard Melancon invaded for Champions Day and rode two winners.

*** James Hodges saddled two winners on Champions Day and 3 for the week, and 3 different riders were aboard. .Joe Duhon saddled a pair of winners, and Torres rode both. Two wins for D.F. Loy as well, and Gonzalez rode both. Two wins for trainer Connie Tassistro.

*** Champions Day (August 2nd) produced some nice efforts, including Superior Storm in the Oaks, my strong top Star Production in the Derby, and Run Don’t Stroll in the Laurel Lane.

Post from: Thoroughbred Fever

Thursday (7-17-08)…

Race 2: Farasino won her 3rd straight in easy fashion for leading owner Jan Haynes, leading trainer Jorge Lara, and barn $$ rider Lonnie Meche. Look for her to step up from the starter allowance ranks next time.

Race 3: Miss Zoomin Boone, my best bet on the card, fell too far back under Larry Taylor, and her late rally fell three lengths short in a solid show finish. She has more versatility and can clear this 2L level if ridden properly. The winning fav (Chocolate Heaven) was shipping in from Lone Star for Bret Calhoun.

Race 7: Sharp trainer Eric Heitzmann won another event with Hurricane Party, and the prompt fav stormed from off the pace for a 2-length tally.

Race 9: Suzy Zip was sharp in victory under Torres as my strong top choice in the grass feature. 4th place finisher Ballistae seems like a hard horse to ride. She won on the turf a few starts back at 7.5f under Francisco Torres, and maybe he holds the key to this one. I will consider putting her on top if Torres rides.

Raced 10: Easy win for heavy fav Miss Silver G in the finale. My value top Sarah’s Best Day was clearly 2nd best and shouldn’t be a maiden much longer. Lonnie Meche was riding his 4th winner on the card.

*** Sam David Jr. and Jerry Hardin both saddled a pair of winners on the card.

Friday (7-18-08)…

Race 2: My top Roll On Roll On was left at the gate and lost all chance to win this sharp 5f turf sprint. He rallied to miss 3rd by a head. Eventual winner Spritely Star sat the trip my top was supposed to en route to upsetting speedy fav Groovy Luck.

Race 3: Another easy win for Jan Haynes, Jorge Lara, and Lonnie Meche. Note that Fairmont was winning for the first time in a couple of years. My 8-1 value top Like A Magic Flute landed the place in a solid effort.

Race 5: Eric Heitzmann struck again, and it was a turf route winner for the 2nd straight day. Manthea took control from the outset and never looked back. False fav Winning Forum, now 1-29, dumped rider Don Simington after stumbling badly at the start.

*** Carlos Gonzalez pulled off the hat trick, and all three were wire jobs. A pair of turf wins for Donnie Meche.

Post from: Thoroughbred Fever

Four new races have been added to the growing list of Breeders’ Cup Challenge races, and the Win and You’re In concept has made it to Louisiana Downs with the September 20th Tiznow Handicap.

The $150k Tiznow will be contested on the Louisiana Downs main track, and the three-year-old and up event will award the winner an automatic berth in the $1 million Dirt Mile.

Below is a recap of the June 19th card from Louisiana Downs…

Race 1: Lula Mac ($12.80) was always prominent under Simington and came again for a gritty one-length tally in the opener. Sinner made a winning middle move from the outside post but had to settle for 2nd best. Hot Rocket (Torres fav) rallied to finish a non-threatening 3rd.

Race 2: Prompt fav Slew The Blues ($3.00) sat the ground saving tracking trip and drew after engaging the eventual place/show finishers. Early double for Simington.

Race 3: Donnie Meche reversed his opening race fortunes with Simington, as he utilized his tactical advantage on heavy fav Jone’s Doll ($2.80) to post a diminishing 1/2 length win over the late striding Flat Out Fast.

Race 4: Not Donnie Meche, but brother Lonnie easily found the winners’ circle with a strong outside run aboard 3rd straight winning fav Farasino ($5.20). Place finisher Flaming Star won the pace battle from the outside post but lost the war…next time.

Race 5: The favs just keep on clicking, this time Dot’s Imp ($5.40) overcame a rough start and traffic under John Jacinto. Bebopping Man could not hold his clear stretch lead and was easily 2nd best.

Race 6: Prominent throughout upset in the 6th with Nell’s Star ($19.40). Note that Simington was finishing underneath for the 4th straight event following his two earlier wins.

Race 7: Riding double for Donnie Meche, as he guided Awesome Amazon ($14.80) to a stalk and pounce turf route tally. Safas Belle (2nd) was hounded on the pace throughout as the fav, and Princess Tide ground out the show under PVal.

Race 8: Our Angel Hour ($13.80) broke in at the start and sat the right trip behind a pair of dueling leaders before taking over turning for home. PVal saved ground from off the pace en route to a clear place finish aboard Jessanoldlove. Dancer’s Stormkitty dueled and saved the show as the fav.

Race 9: 2nd choice Rose Medallion ($7.00) necked fav Poppy’s Little Girl at the unusual distance of 7.5 furlongs on the grass. Riding double for John Jacinto. Hurricane Party followed the fav around from off the pace and was another 1/2 length farther back in 3rd.

Race 10: Easy stalk and pounce win for slight fav Miss Beccas Gold ($6.60)…’Cisco Torres in the irons. 3-1 shot With My Boots on set an easy pace and clearly held the place from the rail post under PVal.

Post from: Thoroughbred Fever