Favorites Stormdriver, Heitai rule Louisiana Legends Night

OPELOUSAS, La. – Rallying strongly from off the pace, Stormdriver continued the parade of favorites into the winner’s circle Saturday evening during Louisiana Legends Night at Evangeline Downs. The win was jockey Diego Saenz’s fourth of the night that featured Louisiana-breds exclusively in eight different stakes events.

Saenz settled Stormdriver well off the pace and off the rail while leaders Udoknowjack and Fort Wagner carved out modest fractions of 24.23 seconds and 48.81. Mired in traffic in the second turn after a three-quarter split in 1:13.32, Saenz found a seam two paths off the rail and stormed through. The winner collared Heavy On Themister, who had taken command with a furlong remaining and powered clear by 2 1/2 lengths in a time of 1:44.24 for 1 1/16 miles over a track labeled “wet fast.”

Pat Devereux Jr. trains Stormdriver for Fruition Racing LLC, and the 5-year-old son of Discreet Cat now has won 7 of 26 starts and almost $288,000.
Heitai ran to his short price in the $100,000 Legends Sprint as he held off a bid from outsider Strong and Tough. Too Dim was another 5 3/4 lengths back in third.

Ridden by Saenz and trained by Tom Amoss, who was on hand to saddle the defending champ, Heitai ($3.20) took command at the start and stepped through lively fractions of 21.97 and 44.64. In front by two lengths with a furlong remaining, Saenz kept the heavy favorite to task in the late going to cross the wire a half-length in front in a final time of 1:03.12. The win was the 5-year-old son of Fusaichi Pegasus’s 15th in 31 career starts, and he now has earned more than $980,000.

In the night’s other stakes action, the favored Pacific Pink charged from well back to capture the $100,000 Legends Soiree under leading rider Colby Hernandez. Originally scheduled for a mile on the turf, the Soiree – as well as the remainder of the evening’s grass races – was moved to the main track following heavy afternoon rains.

Trained by Eddie Johnston, Pacific Pink ($4) covered the mile in a solid 1:38.67. The longshot Discreetly Grand finished 4 3/4 lengths back in second followed by Safari Calamari.

In the $100,000 Legends Mademoiselle, last year’s winner Snappy Girl ($9.60) bounded out on top and did not look back in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares. Hernandez picked up his second stakes win of the evening on board the 5-year-old veteran trained by leading conditioner Karl Broberg. The final time was 1:03.96.

Mobile Bay ($3.60) ran his winning streak to three races after holding off the hard-charging Four Leaf Chief at the wire of the $100,000 Cheval for 3-year-olds. Saenz was aboard the winner for trainer Victor Arceneaux, who also sent out the heavily favored Over a Barrel to a win in the $50,000 Legends Starter Stakes earlier on the program.

The $100,000 Legends Distaff went to Heatseeker Sharon ($7), who led from start to finish in the 1 1/16-mile affair. The Frank Leggio charge rated kindly for jockey Billy Patin, and the two held Another Pinot safe by 1 1/2 lengths in a time of 1:45.23.

Graded winner String King ($2.60) put away the stubborn pacesetter and longshot Drewssasin in the late going to win the $100,000 Legends Turf, which was contested at 1 1/16 miles over the main track. Ridden by Richard Eramia, the now 7-year-old String King won for the 16th time in his storied 36-race career and now has banked more than $890,000 for owner, breeder, and trainer Charlie Smith.