Free Like a Girl has options in the rain on Louisiana Legends night
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Free Like a Girl will be a winner before she even steps on the track to run during Saturday night’s Louisiana Legends card at Evangeline Downs.
Earlier in the afternoon, Free Like a Girl will be honored as the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association’s horse of the year for 2022.
She then will make her way to the starting gate for either the $100,000 Distaff Turf for which she is entered for the main track only or the $100,000 Mademoiselle over 5 1/2 furlongs.
“We’re keeping an eye on the weather, see what we’re going to do,” said Chasey Deville-Pomier, who co-owns and trains Free Like a Girl. “If we’re off the grass, we’ll probably run in the mile. Looking at the forecast, there’s a possibility it could shape up that way.
“We’ve obviously sprinted her before and she was fine. I would feel a little more comfortable a little farther.”
The Distaff Turf and the Mademoiselle are among six stakes on the card. Each is restricted to Louisiana-breds, and each has a purse of $100,000. It’s the meet’s richest night, and in addition to the LTBA banquet, there will be a jockey autograph and photo session, scholarship giveaways, special food vendors, and a slew of family activities on track at Evangeline.
Free Like a Girl won 4 of 11 starts and more than $400,000 last year at 3. The record also earned her 3-year-old filly honors from the LTBA. Free Like a Girl is co-owned by Gerald Bruno Jr., Jerry Caroom, and Carl Deville.
“We’re very blessed,” said Deville-Pomier. “We literally took it race by race with her to be where we’re at with her. She’s one of a kind. You strive for a horse like this.”
Free Like a Girl, who is a daughter of El Deal bred by Kim Stover and Lisa Osborne, is 3 for 5 this year and in her 26-race career has earned $870,378. She enters Saturday night’s card off a win in the $60,000 Evangeline Distaff on May 5. Free Like a Girl removed blinkers for the mile race for fillies and mares bred in Louisiana and with the win improved her Evangeline record to 4 for 4.
“We liked that spot for her, prepped her for that spot,” Deville-Pomier said. “We kind of want to stick around here this year, try to get to the million dollar mark if we could.”
Timothy Thornton is named to ride Free Like a Girl in both the Turf Distaff and Mademoiselle.
The $100,000 Turf, which is for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles, drew a large field of 11.
“I think it’s a wide-open race,” said Jake Delhomme, owner of entrant Deer Crossing.
Deer Crossing is looking for his third straight win. He is moving back into Louisiana-bred company after winning over open foes in a mile turf allowance April 12 at Evangeline.
“He ran an extremely good race,” said Delhomme, the retired NFL quarterback who has the horse in training with his brother, Jeff Delhomme. “He’s training well. He’s going to have to step up. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. We’re excited to run and just hopeful we can hold off on the rain.”
Highland Creek is moving back to turf following a pair of third-place finishes to Touchuponastar, the LTBA’s champion 3-year-old of 2022 owned by Jake Delhomme.
Touchuponastar ran Monday at Lone Star Park and finished second in the Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile. He had won six straight Louisiana-bred races leading up to his open-company debut in Texas, traveling out of state because there was no main-track option for him on Legends Night.
“His mother didn’t run on turf, his father didn’t run on it – they didn’t attempt it,” said Jake Delhomme. “We’re happy with the dirt right now.”
As for Highland Creek, he is a winner on turf and his natural speed could help keep him up out of trouble in the large field Saturday. Bret Calhoun trains the horse for Allied Racing Stable, which will be honored as the LTBA’s “high percentage breeder” for its stakes success in 2022. The organization’s breeder of the year for 2022 is Brittlyn Inc.
The stakes winner Carlea’s Dream will get good support in the Turf, off an allowance win at Louisiana Downs, while multiple stakes winner Big Chopper will be a player whether he runs in the Turf or the $100,000 Sprint.
He’s cross-entered in both, with the Sprint, for 3-year-olds and up, to be run over 5 1/2 furlongs. The race drew nine, including defending winner Bertie’s Galaxy.
The spotlight will be on 3-year-olds who go two turns in the $100,000 Cheval and $100,000 Soiree. Both races are at a mile.
Allnight Moonlight won the Crescent City Derby over a number of his rivals in the Cheval, while Star Moment is going for her third straight stakes win in the Soiree.
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