Fair Grounds: Hud's Rebellion fires fresh in Louisiana Champions Day Turf

Hud’s Rebellion was in peak form when he last started in August, and he came back to the races still in peak form Saturday at Fair Grounds, winning the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf by 1 1/2 lengths over Sadie’s Soldier.

Hud’s Rebellion flashed talent early in his career, but began ascending to a new level late in the 2012-2013 Fair Grounds meet. He won three dirt sprints in a row, but demonstrated a greater scope of ability this past summer, finishing second in a pair of two-turn Louisiana-bred stakes, the first on dirt, and the second on turf.

That grass race had come on Aug. 14, and was the last time Hud’s Rebellion raced until Saturday, but trainer Andy Leggio -- underappreciated outside New Orleans – had his horse ready. Making just his third grass start, Hud’s Rebellion ($3.40) tracked the moderate pace of Sweet Baby Gaines and Request a Puck around the first turn and down the backstretch, with jockey Rosie Napravnik asking Hud’s Rebellion to launch a three-wide bid at the leaders partway around the second bend. Hud’s Rebellion collared the top two a half-furlong after straightening away, and though wandering a bit in the drive, he held clear Sadie’s Soldier’s outside challenge and was comfortably clear at the finish, stopping the timer in 1:48.34 for 1 1/16 miles over good turf. Sweet Baby Gaines stayed on for third.

Glen Warren bred and owns Hud’s Rebellion, a son of Warren’s sire, Ole Rebel. Scoring the first grass win of his career, Hud’s Rebellion’s sixth career victory was his first in a stakes.

Guadalupe High takes Ladies Sprint

With odds-on favorite Sittin At the Bar struggling home fifth, Guadalupe High won the $100,000 Ladies Sprint by three-quarters of a length over longshot Afternoon Tango.

Delta Downs-based Gerard Melancon gave Guadalupe High a perfect trip, sitting just behind the pace of Deputysprettypenny and Mischievous Mama – what pace there was. The half-mile passed in a pedestrian 46.97 seconds, and Guadalupe High, pouncing at the top of the stretch, had an advantage on all the closers. She went clear in midstretch and was only challenged mildly by Afternoon Tango, who rallied up the inside, finishing two lengths in front of Mischievous Mama.

Guadalupe High, the third choice, paid $11.20 to win, and was timed in 1:12.24 for six furlongs. Trained by Ronny Werner, who owns the 3-year-old Guadalupe High in a partnership, Guadalupe High won for the seventh time in 12 starts.

Lexi’s Love prevails by head in Lassie

Lexi’s Love ($10.20) closed toward a hole between horses at the eighth pole and got shut off. She dropped a couple paths toward the rail, found another seam, and was stopped again. One final foray, and this time Lexi’s Love got through, nipping heavily favored All Woman to win the $100,000 Lassie.

“I was thinking, ‘How could she get in so much trouble in a six-horse field?’ ” said owner-breeder Bill Hargroder of Circle H Farms, when asked for his thoughts as his horse was in midstretch.

Lexi’s Love and all her trouble were lengths the best, but won officially by a head over All Woman, whose swerves were the main cause of the winner’s stretch trouble. Glamoride finished third, the winner timed in 1:13.69 over good going.

Lexi’s Love, by Circle H’s stallion Big Top Cat, won her third straight race for trainer Alan Klanfer. Her Lassie score came after five-furlong victories on turf at Louisiana Downs and dirt at Delta Downs. Diego Saenz, the leading jockey at Delta, rode the winner.

* The favorite lost in all three Grade 2, $100,000 Quarter Horses races. The Game Cartel exited a conditioned claiming win to take the Juvenile at 23-1, while 6-1 Bipty Dash proved much the best in the Classic. T Boy C, the well backed 3-2 second choice, raced gamely to edge favored Fast Talkin Henry in the Derby.