Equestrian Girls captures Elge Raspberry

Bossier City, La. - Rallying strongly down the stretch under Jose Riquelme, Equestrian Girls drew clear in the late going to capture Saturday's Elge Raspberry Stakes at Harrah's Louisiana Downs. Fellow longshot Leestown Fantasie finished second in the grassy one-mile affair for Louisiana-bred 3-year-old fillies followed by Zarba the Great.

Equestrian Girls ($23.80) was making only her second start since March in the Raspberry, having run an indifferent sixth against older allowance foes on August 11. Trained by Kelly Broussard for John Aertker, III, the daughter of Leestown won for the first time since accounting for the Louisiana Lassie on Champions Day last December at Fair Grounds. She covered the about one mile distance in 1:37.01 over firm going and won by two lengths. The victory was her fourth from eleven career starts and she has now earned just over $182,000.