Forest Lake, Believeinsomething hope Opelousas gets taken off turf
There was a strong chance of thunderstorms in Opelousas, La., on both Wednesday and Thursday, which could mean good news for several leading contenders in the $60,000 Opelousas Stakes at Evangeline Downs on Friday night. The race for fillies and mares ages 3 and up is scheduled for one mile on turf, but if rain moves it to the main track, then the stakes-winning fillies Forest Lake and Believeinsomething might feel more at home.
Forest Lake is the 9-2 morning-line favorite in a field of a dozen after winning three straight races at Delta Downs for trainer Jerry Delhomme over the fall and winter, including scores over statebreds in the $100,000 Magnolia Stakes and the $150,000 Premier Night Distaff. But the 4-year-old Forest Lake has never raced on turf. She has won 5 of 16 career starts and will be looking to rebound from a fourth-place finish as the favorite in the restricted, $75,000 Gold Coast Stakes at Delta Downs last month.
A wet main track likely wouldn’t bother Forest Lake, who scored against open company in the slop in the $78,750 Evangeline Downs Starlet Stakes as a 2-year-old in August 2014. Her regular rider, Hector Santiago, retains the mount, and since the start of 2015, he has won with 10 of his 45 mounts (22 percent) for Delhomme, with a strong $2.82 return on investment.
Believeinsomething was scheduled to make her turf debut last month in the $60,000 Red Camelia Stakes for Louisiana-breds at Fair Grounds, but that race was rained onto the main track, and the 4-year-old Etbauer filly scored by three lengths for her second straight victory. Trained by Brian Schweda, Believeinsomething will have Roberto Morales aboard for the first time Friday.
Two contenders who likely would be better off if the race stays on grass are Treaty Oak and Lemon Song.
Treaty Oak, trained by Al Stall Jr., is 4 for 9 in one-mile turf races and is winless in six starts on dirt. The 5-year-old War Chant mare won an optional $62,500 claiming race at Fair Grounds on Feb. 11 before finishing eighth in the $50,000 Jersey Lilly Stakes on turf at Sam Houston Race Park last out Feb. 27.
Lemon Song, a 6-year-old Lemon Drop Kid mare trained by Keith Bourgeois, earned this field’s highest last-race Beyer Speed Figure, an 83, for a second-place finish in an optional $40,000 claimer on the Fair Grounds turf last month.