Jockey Corey Lanerie, 36, a Louisiana
native born and raised in Lafayette,
scored a riding triple at Fair Grounds Thursday and was seven wins away from
the 3,000-career win milestone entering Friday’s 10-race program where
he was listed aboard seven mounts for the day.
On Thursday, Lanerie began his hat trick by riding Peter
Cantrell’s Bananafafana to a nose tally in the third race for trainer Keith
Desormeaux, returned to the winner’s circle following a three-length
victory in the sixth aboard Robert Muir’s Black Power for conditioner Carl
Bowman, and concluded it by piloting Twin Creeks Racing Stable’s Ghost
Is Clear to a 7 1/4-length score for trainer Mike Maker in the
featured eighth race of the afternoon.
On Friday, Lanerie is listed aboard Mr. and Mrs. David
Randal’s Wicked Dreams in the opener, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s Emma’s
Kitten in the third, Carl Joseph’s Lil Forty in the fifth, Edward
Stoll III’s Saviano in the sixth, Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s Wild
Tizzy in the seventh, Mark Stanley’s Elusive Temper in the eighth
and Coby Tresner and Charles Jennings’ Ti Township in the ninth.
‘GUNNER’ GONZALEZ FIRES WITH LATEST LONGSHOT THURSDAY
Jockey Carlos Gonzalez has always been known as a good speed rider –
hence his nickname – but also for his ability to bring home longshots in the
wagering.
On Thursday in the second race at Fair Grounds, the
45-year-old resident of Bossier
City, Louisiana,
reinforced his reputation on both counts by taking Stephen Stigall’s Gazillionaire
to the front shortly after the start and keeping her there for a 1
1/4-length victory at the wire.
The 4-year-old filly lit up the tote board with a $240
win price, easily the largest straight payoff of the current season at the New
Orleans oval.
“I didn’t know that horse,” said Gonzalez later in the
afternoon. “I’d never ridden her before, but I looked in (Daily Racing Form)
and it looked like she ran best when she was close to the pace so that’s where
I put her.”
Did
Gazillionaire’s $240 win payoff make her the longest shot he had ever ridden in
his career?
“I’m
not sure,” said Gonzalez, “but it would be pretty close. I rode a horse at
Oaklawn a couple of years ago that paid $240 or $250 or something like that. I
don’t really remember but it was humongous. If this one isn’t the longest, it’s
pretty close.”