Delta Downs: Heitai sets track record as favorites dominate Louisiana-bred Premier Night

Louisiana-bred stars shone brightly during Louisiana-bred Premier Night on Saturday at Delta Downs. Heavy favorites won five of the six stakes races on the card, with Heitai, Ide Be Cool, and Sunbean delivering especially strong performances.

Heitai set his second Delta Downs track record of the meet, running five furlongs in 56.69 seconds while winning the $100,000 Premier Night Sprint by five lengths. The time bested the previous record set by Speedacious on Feb. 5, 2011, by 0.04 seconds. Heitai set a 6 1/2-furlong track record in November.

Heitai ($2.60), a 4-year-old Fusaichi Pegasus gelding bred and owned by Rowell Enterprises, has turned into a dynamo since Karl Broberg took over his training last fall. He won for the fourth time in five starts for Broberg, those victories coming by more than 33 lengths in total.

Heitai, whose Sprint win produced a provisional 104 Beyer Speed Figure – his third straight triple-digit Beyer – set a crazily fast pace Saturday night, going an opening quarter-mile in 21.49 seconds and getting his first half in a blistering 44.09 under Diego Saenz. No one ever came close to him, with Knockitdownhard a distant second and Folsom Fire third.

The 3-year-old Ide Be Cool did not run quite as fast as Heitai but was equally impressive in capturing the $125,000 Prince by nine lengths, running his career record to a perfect 5 for 5. Ide Be Cool, an Ide gelding owned and trained by Henry Ray Dunn, went straight to the lead in the two-turn, seven-furlong Prince, setting fast splits of 22.46 and 46.41 under Chris Rosier.

The hot tempo seemed only to spark Ide Be Cool, who buried the chasing opposition in the final quarter-mile, drawing away powerfully through Delta’s short stretch. His time of 1:24.95 was just 0.64 seconds off an 11-year-old track record. He paid $3.40 to win and was followed home by Angel Avenger and Coteau Rouge.

Sunbean, meanwhile, continued strengthening his position as the top Louisiana-bred dirt-route horse, winning the $200,000 Championship by four lengths while also clocking a good time, 1:44.04 for 1 1/16 miles.

A son of Brahms ridden by Richard Eramia and trained by Ron Faucheux for owner and breeder Brittlyn Stable, Sunbean got a favorable midpack trip stalking Hit the Road Lee’s solid pace, moving easily into contention around the far turn and running unchallenged through the stretch. Another odds-on favorite, he paid $3.60 and still is unbeaten after six starts in Louisiana-bred stakes competition.

The 4-year-old Sittin At the Bar, meanwhile, has suddenly turned from being an effective one-run closer into an equally effective fast-paced sprinter. The filly won for the 10th time in 17 races, capturing the $100,000 Matron by two lengths over longtime rival Wire Me Bessie.

Just as she had in a Jan. 11 allowance-race romp at Delta, Sittin At the Bar sat just off fast fractions under Colby Hernandez, seizing control of the Matron just past the quarter pole. Trained by Brett Brinkman for P. Dale Ladner, Sittin At the Bar paid $3.40.

Closing Report, yet another favorite at $4.40, won the $125,000 Starlet by 1 3/4 lengths over Hatainsroyalrouj. Brett Calhoun trains the filly for Stephen R. Brown, and Rosie Napravnik rode her to victory.

Tensas Harbor ($17.80) was the only stakes winner Saturday who wasn’t favored. She stormed home from the back of a seven-horse field to nip Little Ms Protocol by a head in the $150,000 Distaff. The favored Guadalupe High faded off a quick pace and finished third.