Chocopologie fresh face to fear in Louisiana Premier Night Championship

Chocopologie is a notable newcomer in Saturday night’s $150,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship at Delta Downs, where he’ll take on the stalwarts Mobile Bay, The Pickett Factor, and One King’s Man. Chocopologie is moving into the statebred stakes ranks for the first time for the 1 1/16-mile race following a season in which he dominated open company in the $175,000 Governor’s Cup at Remington Park.

The Louisiana Premier Night Championship anchors a card of six divisional stakes for Louisiana-breds. There also are four starter handicaps for total purses of $850,000. The races include the $100,000 Prince for 3-year-olds, in which the undefeated Saint’s Fan will stretch out to two turns, and the $100,000 Distaff, which drew Grade 3 winner Big World.

Chocopologie started out in the Louisiana-bred ranks, winning his maiden by more than 17 lengths back in 2014. More recently, he darted to a five-length win in the Governor’s Cup in September, a race he will attempt to run back to Saturday night following a troubled seventh-place finish in the Grade 2 Fayette in his last start Oct. 25 at Keeneland.

“The Governor’s Cup, that’s his race. That’s the good race he has in him when all systems are go,” said trainer Patrick Devereux Jr. “At Keeneland, when the gate went up, he went right to his nose.”

Devereux said he was unable to get a suitable race for Chocopologie as a stepping-stone to the Championship, but the horse has some other factors in his favor Saturday. He will break from the rail under regular rider Colby Hernandez.

“He has a win on the track, and he likes the rail post,” Devereux said. “He’s been working right along. He’s doing well. I think he’s ready.”

Chocopologie, who earlier in his career ran second to Mobile Bay in the Grade 2 Super Derby, is a son of Candy Ride who races for Preston Stables. He could be somewhat prominent, perhaps stalking The Pickett Factor, Mobile Bay, and Sir Genghis, who is cross-entered in the Louisiana Premier Night Sprint.

“I think he might sit a good trip,” Devereux said. “As fresh as he is, he probably won’t be too far off of it.”

Devereux won the Championship last year with Stormdriver, who defeated One King’s Man.

Mobile Bay will break from post 3, one start after winning the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic on Dec. 10 at Fair Grounds. The Pickett Factor was third in that race last out and for Saturday drew post 6.

Stewart sends out homebred Saint's Fan in Prince

Dallas Stewart has established himself as an accomplished trainer, winning Grade 1 races with such horses as Lemons Forever, Unbridled Elaine, Forever Unbridled, Macho Again, and Unbridled Forever. But he will be wearing an additional hat Saturday night when he saddles Saint’s Fan for the one-mile Prince.

Stewart is not only the trainer of the horse, but he also bred and owns Saint’s Fan. The colt by Tale of Ekati is out of the one broodmare Stewart has, Boy Crazy. Saint’s Fan has won both of his starts, a maiden special weight in November at Churchill Downs and the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile in his most recent out Dec. 10 at Fair Grounds.

“We’re very blessed to have him,” Stewart said. “He broke just okay last time, got to running on the turn, and finished up really, really good. He’s a horse with a lot of talent, and he finishes his races off. I like to see that in a young horse. He’s done that twice for us.”

Saint’s Fan will make the move to two turns Saturday.

“It’s always a question on any horse,” Stewart said. “He’s trained very well, had two or three good works for the race. We’ll just have to try him and see how he does. He always has a lot of energy, and that’s a decent sign that he could stretch out. We’ll find out.”

Stewart said the strength of the Louisiana breeding program led him to test the waters with the mare Boy Crazy.

“Coming down to New Orleans every year, I just figured the breeding program is really good,” he said. “There’s a good boost from the breeders awards, and I figured I’d give it a shot, figured I’d take a chance.”

Stewart now has a yearling full sister to Saint’s Fan and a 2-year-old half-sister to Saint’s Fan.

◗ Mr. Al’s Gal seeks her third straight stakes win in the $100,000 Starlet.

◗ Smittys Cougar returns to Delta, where she is 3 for 4, for the $100,000 Matron.

◗ Just Kissing Buck is a leading contender in the $100,000 Sprint.