Fair Grounds: Blading Wildcat takes Crescent City Oaks

NEW ORLEANS - Blading Wildcat pushed past favorite Closing Report to grab the lead inside the quarter pole en route to a two-length victory over Another Pinot in the $75,000 Crescent City Oaks on the Louisiana Derby undercard Saturday at the Fair Grounds.

Longshot Blading Wildcat and Another Pinot combined for a $674.60 exacta. All Woman finished third, a head behind Another Pinot, in a field of eight 3-year-old Louisiana-bred fillies. Closing Report faded to fourth.

John Jacinto rode Blading Wildcat for trainer James "Sweet'' Hodges and owners Phyllis Hodges and Nicky Rowell. Blading Wildcat, scoring her first stakes victory, ran a mile and 70 yards in 1:44.50 and paid $42.20.

"I put her in this stakes be because I knew my filly could get a route of ground,'' James Hodges said. "That's half the battle.''

Closing Report, the favorite, chased Heatseeker Sharon around the first turn before taking the lead on the backstretch. The pace was quick – 23.23 seconds for the first quarter-mile, 47.18 for the half, and 1:12.60 for six furlongs – and Closing Report was tiring in the stretch. Blading Wildcat pulled away from her and had energy in reserve to hold off late bids from Another Pinot and All Woman.

Crescent City Derby: Gold Appointment leads all the way

Gold Appointment quickly opened a clear lead in the Crescent City Derby and kept going, winning the $75,000 race for 3-year-old Louisiana-breds by four lengths on the Louisiana Derby undercard.

Ridden by Colby Hernandez for owner/trainer Robert Rockwell, Gold Appointment was racing around two turns on dirt for the first time. He was coming off a decisive victory in a five-furlong sprint March 1 at Delta Downs. His first two starts were on turf at Fair Grounds.

Running the first quarter-mile in 22.93 seconds, the half in 47.17, and six furlongs in 1:12.74, Gold Appointment never was threatened.

“He’s a big horse that covers a lot of ground,” Rockwell said. “This is his second race on the dirt, and that’s where he is going to stay.”

Hot Zapper made a late run to finish second, 8 1/4 lengths in front of third-place Blue Forty Two in a field of 14.

Dixie Poker Ace: Hopeful Notion rallies

Hopeful Notion wore down favorite Skip the Pinot in deep stretch to win the day's first stakes race, the $60,000 Dixie Poker Ace for older Louisiana-breds by a half-length.

Ridden by Richard Eramia for trainer Eddie Johnston and Robert Guidry's Autumn Hill Farms, Hopeful Notion ran about a mile and 70 yards in 1:42.54. He paid $12.80.

Benwill finished third in a field of seven. The race, scheduled for turf, was switched to the main track.

Hopeful Notion settled a few lengths off the early lead as Skip the Pinot stalked long shot Cajun Charlie on the run down the backstretch. The pace was solid – 23.32 seconds for the first quarter-mile, 47.06 for the half, and 1:12.00 for six furlongs.

Skip the Pinot took the lead entering the stretch, but Hopeful Notion closed relentlessly on the outside to earn his first stakes victory and win for the third time in his last four starts. He was coming off a last-place finish in an open allowance race.

"This horse was training very, very good,'' Eramia said. "After his last race, he changed a lot.''