Free Drop Maddy, Allnight Moonlight take Fair Grounds dirt stakes
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLEFront-runners sped to victory in two Louisiana-bred 3-year-old dirt-route stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Racing over the fastest racing surface of the meeting, the dirt track appeared increasingly speed-biased as the card wore on. Free Drop Maddy went wire to wire, dictating a moderate tempo in the $75,000 Louisiana Broodmare of the Year Buttercup’s Song, but Allnight Moonlight earned every bit of his victory in the $75,000 Louisiana Stallion of the Year Half Ours Stakes.
Allnight Moonlight and jockey Jareth Loveberry tore off to the lead from post 1 and went at a pace that for much of this meet would have led to exhaustion. Going 23.50 and 46.29, Allnight Moonlight fended off the chasers and had plenty left to hold clear Benoit, posting a four-length win. Allnight Moonlight ran one mile, 70 yards in 1:43.94 and paid $13. Benoit was a clear second, Mangum was third, and odds-on favorite Jack Hammer fourth, suffering his first career loss after three wins.
Hot-training Ron Faucheux saddled the winner, a son of Ransom the Moon and Gingertini bred by Coteau Grove Farm and owned by Roger Smith. Allnight Moonlight was coming off a fourth-out maiden win, coasting to victory Feb. 2 while racing in blinkers for the first time.
Before trainer Bret Calhoun saw Jack Hammer take his first loss, he sent Free Drop Maddy out to a rebound victory in the Buttercup’s Song. A distant fifth Feb. 4 at Delta Downs making her first start in a route race, Free Drop Maddy ($5.60) shook loose under Reylu Gutierrez through a half-mile in 48.22, took a two-length lead into the short stretch run of this one-mile race, and prevailed by 2 1/4 lengths as the favorite. Second choice Olivia G finished second and New Destiny was third. The winner was timed in 1:39.47.
Bred by Clear Creek Stud and owned by Mansfield Racing, Free Drop Maddy is a daughter of Free Drop Billy and Solo Buena, by Half Ours.
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