Hip Four Sixtynine closes big for victory in Fremont

Hip Four Sixtynine closed from next to last for a 3 1/2-length win over School Spirit in Saturday night’s $70,000 Fremont at Delta Downs in Vinton, La. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back in third to Bellarmine.

Hip Four Sixtynine ($9.20) raced in sixth early on as School Spirit took the field through fractions of 23.07 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.29 for the half-mile, and 1:12.47 for six furlongs. Hip Four Sixtynine advanced, overtook the pacesetter in the later stages, and covered the mile for 4-year-olds and up in 1:38.95.

Don Simington rode the winner for trainer Jim Hodges.

Hip Four Sixtynine races for J-LU LLC. He earned $42,000 for his win in the Fremont. Hip Four Sixtynine now has won 5 of 21 starts and $196,827. He is a 5-year-old son of Southern Image, and he was bred in Kentucky by Charles H. Deters.