Fair Grounds Press

From NEW ORLEANS in this sports recap, at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Chip Honcho for Leland Ackerley Racing snatched the $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes after a stirring finish, and with that outcome trainer Steve Asmussen logged a third success from the event’s five editions.

With Paco Lopez in the irons, the colt negotiated one mile and one-sixteenth in 1:44.76, his edge over Liberty National measured at a three-quarter length. Having dictated the tempo most of the journey, Crown the Buckeye kept on to claim third.

Breaking alertly, the winner sat just to the outside of the pace, shadowing Crown the Buckeye through crisp splits of 23.62 and 46.66 seconds. Bumped at the break and away a stride slow, Liberty National reorganized near the rear and advanced steadily along the fence.

Through the far bend Crown the Buckeye still resisted, yet deep in the lane he weakened as Chip Honcho swept past outside while Liberty National’s rail surge secured the runner-up spot.

The victory yielded 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard to Chip Honcho. Liberty National added five for second, Crown the Buckeye banked three for third, Quality Mischief earned two for fourth, and Very Connected received one for fifth, lifting his total to six on the ladder.

Fresh off a one-mile maiden win at Churchill Downs, Chip Honcho answered the two-turn test in the Gun Runner—think of a route debut, for example. By taking the first of four local Derby preps, he joins Epicenter and Track Phantom among Asmussen’s prior winners of this opener.

For handicapping context, payouts returned $9.80 to win, $4.40 to place, and $3.00 to show.

From three starts (3-2-1-0), his bankroll stands at $150,475.

Looking ahead in this race preview, the $250,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3) on January 17 is next on the Fair Grounds Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Gun Runner quotes and reactions

Paco Lopez, rider of the winner Chip Honcho

Once he relaxed, I parked him outside in a spot I liked. At the quarter pole he leveled off, I felt the leader was gettable, and he emptied the tank.

Brian Hernandez Jr., pilot of runner-up Liberty National

We were jostled leaving the gates but he recovered quickly. I’m not sure he loved the inside; he felt slightly cautious. It was a learning run for a talented horse—for instance, handling traffic—and he kept grinding; after the wire, when he finally poked ahead, he surged on.

Jareth Loveberry, rider of third-place Crown the Buckeye

He laid it all down. Inside the last sixteenth I was begging for the wire—I needed it. He fought hard, heard them coming, and dug in.

After an inquiry, Hit Parade holds on in the Untapable Stakes

Owned and bred by Gary & Mary West, Hit Parade showed steel to land Saturday’s $100,000 Untapable Stakes at one mile and seventy yards at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, and though a steward’s review followed a rough-and-tumble stretch, the verdict stood.

Under the care of Brad Cox with Luis Saez aboard, she stopped the clock in 1:42.97 and edged Luv Your Neighbor by a head. Officials examined late contact among Hit Parade, Luv Your Neighbor, and Pashmina, but no alteration was made.

Professional early, Hit Parade broke sharply and tucked inside to trail pacesetter Pashmina. Luv Your Neighbor sat back, then launched a rail run turning for home. As Hit Parade angled out at the head of the stretch and went by a tiring Pashmina, she drifted in while Luv Your Neighbor was surging inside, tightening things and forcing Pashmina back.

Guided by Axel Concepcion, Luv Your Neighbor took an awkward half-step after the brush yet stayed balanced, finishing resolutely to secure second.

The favorite at post time paid $6.60 to win, $4.20 to place, and $3.20 to show.

On the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, Hit Parade earned 10 points; Luv Your Neighbor collected five for second; Pashmina received three for third; Have Faith gained two for fourth; Actis earned one for fifth.

Her résumé now reads 4-3-0-1 with $147,980 in earnings.

Next on January 17 comes the $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes on the Fair Grounds Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

Untapable post-race quotes

Luis Saez, jockey of the winner Hit Parade

She broke smooth and settled, giving us the trip we wanted. When I went for the lead she wandered briefly, then straightened and fought to the wire for the win.

Axel Concepcion, rider of runner-up Luv Your Neighbor

I liked her training coming in. Stretching out for the first time, she handled it well. We took a bump from the winner and she kept battling—I’m proud of my filly.

Ben Curtis, aboard third-place Pashmina

Leading wasn’t the intention, but she flew the gate and we clicked 24 for the first quarter. She’s had only two runs and is still green; last time I had a target past the quarter pole and she kicked on, whereas today the inexperience caught up at that point. She waited, I had to take a pretty big check, yet she’s a nice filly and I’d fancy her if they meet again.

Tenacious goes to Not This Boy after gritty display

Zimmer Ridge Ranch’s homebred Not This Boy produced a determined front-end effort at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, fending off Komorebino Omoide late to capture the $100,000 Tenacious Stakes on Road to the Derby Kickoff Day, a notable equine highlight.

Trained by Doug Cowans and handled by Jose Ortiz, he covered the mile-and-a-sixteenth in 1:42.69, holding Sir Greylind at bay by three quarters of a length.

He broke sharply; into the first bend I grabbed the lead when the opening appeared, Ortiz said. I remembered his Churchill race with a 46-second half, so I knew the pace was within him. He traveled kindly down the backside, and when asked he gave me everything.

Setting the fractions in 23.84 and 46.67 while feeling pressure from Komorebino Omoide, Not This Boy and that rival matched strides into the stretch. After eyeballing his foe, the winner kicked on near the sixteenth pole and kept a late-running Sir Greylind at bay; Stowaway arrived for third.

I told Jose in the paddock the horse prefers to be forward, Cowans said. When we outbroke Komorebino Omoide and cleared, I got a bit nervous as he pressed, but Jose got him to relax and once this horse makes the lead he’s hard to pass.

Adding a first stakes win, the 4-year-old son of Not This Time now shows 9-4-4-1 and $349,536 in lifetime earnings.

We’d like to come back to Fair Grounds; we’ll ship him home to Turfway this week and map the next move.

The Tenacious is the opening dirt route for older horses at Fair Grounds, to be followed by the $175,000 Louisiana (G3), the $250,000 Mineshaft (G3), and the $500,000 New Orleans Classic (G2).

Déjà-vu: Idratherbeblessed shocks Diliberto again

Echoing last year’s Muniz (G2) upset, Idratherbeblessed made every pole a winning one at 17–1 in the $100,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Trained by Chris Hartman and guided by Marcelino Pedroza Jr., he clocked 1:41.50 for one mile and a sixteenth on turf.

With expected pace rival Theismann scratched in the paddock for improper turf shoes, Idratherbeblessed found an uncontested lead and traveled comfortably, then repelled late bids from Kupuna, who finished second, and Sand Pipes, who was third.

My plan was front-running all along, Pedroza said. After Theismann came out, I figured Legalize could show speed, so once we broke clean I let him roll to the front and kept out of his way—he’s a fighter and I trusted him through the lane.

Mutuels returned $37.20 to win, $9.00 to place, and $6.80 to show.

In the Muniz, Idratherbeblessed also wired the field at 86–1.

The 5-year-old son of Unified now owns a 31-5-6-6 record with $573,069 in earnings.

The Diliberto Memorial opens the quartet of turf routes for older horses at Fair Grounds, followed by the $100,000 Colonel E.R. Bradley, the $175,000 Fair Grounds Stakes (G3), and the $300,000 Muniz Memorial (G2), each presented by Horse Racing Nation.