The third and last Starlight Racing
program of Fair Grounds’ 2009-2010 Thoroughbred racing season presented
by Miller Lite was blessed with long overdue spring-like weather Friday
night, allowing the younger, party-going New Orleans-based demographic
the marketing experiment was designed to reach an outdoor experience it
obviously enjoyed to the fullest. A Louisiana Derby Day-sized crowd
turned out for the drink specials, live music, Drago’s chargrilled
oysters and, most importantly, nine live races.
In the featured $41,000 allowance affair at a mile and 40 yards, Long Odds Racing Stable’s
Burt’s a Stitch, trained by Michelle Lovell and ridden by
Richard Eramia, was allowed to settle, launched a bold bid when set down for the drive and got up to be best by a neck in the final strides.
The
winner returned mutuels of $23.80, $12.80 and $6.20, toured the
distance in 1:40.83 and increased his career earnings to $58,720 with
his second win in eight lifetime starts.
Paul Saylor’s
Peahi, always well
placed, rallied to take clear command in mid-stretch, could not
withstand the winner in the late stages but held the runner-up spot by
a neck from Ronnie Lamarque’s
Brilliantbrilliant, who had trailed the field in the early going.
Peahi paid $4.20 and $2.80 and Brilliantbrilliant returned $3.
Tri-Star Racing’s
Built to Precision made the pace with splits of 23.46 and 46.38 but weakened to finish sixth.
Racing resumes Saturday at Fair Grounds on the penultimate weekend of its season with a 10-race program beginning at 12:40 p.m.
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