Chimney Rock dominates Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile

Chimney Rock smoked Louisiana-bred competition Saturday at Fair Grounds, dropping in class from the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint into the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile and crushing his rivals by 6 1/2 lengths.

Chimney Rock rates among the top 2-year-old turf sprinters in North America this year and came into Saturday’s race following a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. His lone dirt start had come in his career debut and suggested Chimney Rock might not be the same horse on dirt; the betting public, in fact, made Binding Agreement the 6-5 favorite in the Juvenile over 7-5 Chimney Rock. But this turned out to be no contest, with Chimney Rock, under Florent Geroux, sweeping to the front at the quarter pole and totally outclassing this group of Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds.

Chimney Rock, trained by Mike Maker for Three Diamonds Farm, ran six furlongs on a fast dirt track in 1:11.46 and paid $4.80. Chimney Rock is by Artie Schiller out of What’s Your Point, by Wheaton, cost just $18,000 at auction, and ran his bankroll to $369,025 with Saturday’s victory.

Vacherie up in Lassie

Vacherie, Louisiana sits on the south bank of the Mississippi River halfway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and now the 2-year-old Louisiana-bred filly Vacherie Girl’s record sits at two wins from two starts after she won the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Lassie by 1 1/4 lengths on Saturday.

Vacherie Girl, trained by Steve Asmussen for Corinne and William Heilgbrodt, debuted Nov. 28 at Fair Grounds and turned a sharp middle move into an easy maiden victory. She had to work harder against better horses Saturday in the Lassie but still prevailed over tenacious runner-up Our Lost Love. Sincerity finished third as pacesetting 5-2 second-choice Royal Priority faded to seventh after going 22.05 for the opening quarter mile and 46.33 to the half. Vacherie Girl was timed in 1:12.01 for six furlongs on a fast track and paid $4 as the strong favorite.

Vacherie Girl, ridden by Geroux, stalked the leading group down the backstretch and around the turn before coming with a sustained three-furlong bid that propelled her to the front inside the sixteenth pole. Vacherie Girl is by Tapiture out of Saucy Officer, by Officer.