Free Like a Girl cruises to Louisiana Legends Soiree triumph
Free Like a Girl won the sixth stakes race of her young career Saturday night when the 3-year-old filly darted home by 1 1/4 lengths over Wholelottamo in the $75,000 Louisiana Legends Soiree at Evangeline Downs.
The Soiree was one of six $75,000 stakes on a card that celebrated Louisiana-breds. Purses for the restricted stakes totaled $450,000, making the card the richest of the meet at Evangeline.
Free Like a Girl ($3) was moving back into the Louisiana-bred ranks after running fourth to eventual Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath in the Grade 3 Honeybee in February at Oaklawn. Free Like a Girl on Saturday pushed leader Beleout through fractions of 24 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.15 for the half-mile before taking the lead through six furlongs in 1:12.16. The winner went on to cover the mile for 3-year-old fillies in 1:39.41.
The track was fast.
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“I’m just a passenger,” Pedro Cotto Jr., the regular rider of Free Like a Girl, said in a post-race interview broadcast by Evangeline.
“I knew because she was fresh she’d probably be a little aggressive.”
Free Like a Girl is trained by one of her owners, Chasey Deville-Pomier. The filly by El Deal also races for Gerald Bruno Jr., Carl Deville and Jerry Caroom. She has now won 7 of 13 starts and the first-place check of $45,000 on Saturday pushed her earnings to $401,473.
Free Like a Girl also is now 3 for 3 on the main track at Evangeline.
Stakes double for Faucheux, Loveberry
Trainer Ron Faucheux and jockey Jareth Loveberry won back-to-back stakes on the card with Fame Feather in the Mademoiselle and Bertie’s Galaxy in the Sprint.
Fame Feather ($21.20) became a stakes winner with her one-length victory over Spirited Beauty. It was another half-length back in third to Snowball. The winner came from off the pace set by Lady Hopper, and covered 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.49. Fame Feather is a daughter of Lion Tamer who races for Picard Thoroughbreds Racing Stable. She is now 7 for 25 for earnings of $274,330.
It was Bertie’s Galaxy ($6.60) all the way in the Sprint, as he led throughout to win the race for the second year in a row. Bertie’s Galaxy set fractions of 21.86 for the opening quarter and 44.63 for the half-mile before winning in 1:03.52. He is a son of Greeley’s Galaxy who races for Allen Cassedy. Bertie’s Galaxy has now won 11 of 25 starts for earnings of $442,850.
* Big Chopper ($13.80) made every pole a winning one to take the Cheval by a half-length over Vodka Gimlet. It was another length back in third to favorite Touchuponastar. Big Chopper led through six furlongs in 1:11.93 and went on to cover the mile for 3-year-olds in 1:37.71. C.J. McMahon was aboard the winner for breeder and owner Kendel Standlee. Scott Gelner trains the newest stakes winner for Shackleford.
* Net a Bear ($3.40) won the ninth stakes race of her career when she rallied for a 1 1/4-length victory over World War in the Turf Distaff. She covered the mile for fillies and mares in 1:36.91. The ground was firm. Net a Bear has now won her last five turf races. Tim Thornton was aboard for owners Maximo Lamarche and Federico Deltoro. Allen Landry trains the daughter of Awesome Bet who is now 12 for 34 with earnings of $615,970.
* Maga Man ($17.20) won the Turf for the second year in a row when he closed for a half-length victory over Jaci’s Royalty. It was another head back in third to Behemah Star. Forestdungone set fractions of 23.21 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.28 for the half-mile and 1:11.63 for six furlongs. Maga Man closed strongly through the stretch and won the 1 1/16-mile race on firm turf in 1:43.33. Joe Stokes was aboard for Norman Miller IV. The son of Musket Man is trained by Norman Mille III.