Excess Magic's season comes full circle in Woodchopper Stakes

Excess Magic began his 2021 campaign winning a middle-distance turf race at Fair Grounds and ended it Monday the same way, capturing the $75,000 Woodchopper Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths while getting a perfect pressing trip under Reylu Gutierrez.

Excess Magic’s win 11 months ago came in allowance company and after it he nearly took down the $200,000 Texas Turf Mile, losing by a nose to Palazzi. Excess Magic this past February ran well below form in the Black Gold Stakes, needed an injury break following that start, returned with an impressive turf-sprint allowance win Nov. 26 at Fair Grounds, and notched his first stakes victory in the Woodchopper, a race restricted to 3-year-olds.

“He won sprinting, but I think the mile is ideal for him,” said trainer Bret Calhoun. “We had him where he needed to be.”

Gutierrez also had Excess Magic where he needed to be, just off the flank of pacesetting Rightandjust, who dawdled through a half-mile in a leisurely 49.76 seconds.

“Down the backstretch everyone was on top of us, and I could tell we were going pretty slow,” said Gutierrez, who won two stakes races on Sunday’s card at Fair Grounds.

Rightandjust is no grass horse and Excess Magic took his measure before the furlong grounds. Second choice Point Me By tried to make a run but Excess Magic repelled him comfortably, stopping the timer in 1:38.08 for one mile on a firm course and paying $6.60 as the favorite. Rightandjust held third, followed by Hidden Enemy.

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Four horses were scratched, including talented Concert Tour, whose connections entered hoping for a rain-off onto dirt, and Who Took the Money, whom Calhoun declined to run back just 16 days after a strong showing in the Louisiana Champions Day Turf.

Excess Magic, a homebred owned by William Reed, is by Magician out of Enchanted, by Exchange Rate.

Letellier: Girl With a Dream tops Cox exacta

Odds-on favorite Girl With a Dream led most of the way, winning the $75,000 Letellier Stakes for 2-year-old fillies by one length. Brad Cox trains the winner and sent out runner-up Com’ On Sweet Luv, who chased Girl With a Dream throughout the homestretch while failing to make any serious inroads on the leader.

The likely Letellier favorite, Microbiome, was an early scratch due to an illness, according to trainer Tom Amoss.

Girl With a Dream ($3) broke mid-pack but rushed up to assume command under Florent Geroux, going her half-mile in a comfortable 46.42 on the way to a final time of 1:10.84 for six furlongs on a fast track. Longshot Mystique Saboteur was along for third, a distant six lengths behind the runner-up.

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Girl With a Dream won for the third time in five starts, though this marked her first stakes win. By Practical Joke out of Henley, by Corinthian, Girl With a Dream is owned by Jim Bakke and Gerry Isbister and was bred by Machmer Hall and D.J. Racing Stable.

Broussard Memorial: Audrey’s Time pulls away

Trainer Neil Pessin and Lothenbach Stable lost the tightest of stakes photos Sunday at Fair Grounds when Happy American was beaten by Chess Chief in the Tenacious Stakes. Audrey’s Time left nothing to chance for the same connections on Monday in the $75,000 Spanky Broussard Memorial Stakes.

Stalking the pace under Corey Lanerie, Audrey’s Time came three paths wide into the homestretch, took the lead at the three-sixteenths pole, and went on to win the Broussard by 1 3/4 lengths. Powder River fought on gamely to finish second and Velvet Crush was up late to nab third from 4-5 favorite Cheetara.

Cheetara made a clear early lead but clocked a quick half mile in 47.07 and before reaching the far turn drifted off her spot along the rail, allowing Powder River to come through. Caught at the quarter pole, Cheetara faded to the wire, validating the sense she’s a better horse around one turn than two.

Audrey’s Time ($4.80) dropped in class from a decent third in the Grade 2 Falls City and won her first stakes race, clocking 1:43.06 for a mile and 70 yards on a fast track.

Four-year-old Audrey’s Time, bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds, is by Uncle Mo out of Unforgotten, by Northern Afleet.