Late September, Free Drop Maddy come up Louisiana Champions winners

Races can be won or lost at the start, and so it was Saturday in both $100,000 stakes for 2-year-olds on Louisiana Champions Day at Fair Grounds.

In the Juvenile, Late September pressed the pace, took over past the half-mile pole, and went on to a 2 1/4-length victory over odds-on favorite Tumbarumba, whose trouble out of the gate doomed his chances. Tumbarumba, coming off a sharp maiden win at Churchill Downs, broke a half-beat slow and quickly was slammed from the inside by The Boss Soss. Late September, leaving from the outside gate, broke slightly out as did the horse inside him, Not On Herb, and when Late September came back on his line, he bumped Not On Herb, moving him into the path of Tumbarumba, who still was being forced out by The Boss Soss.

All that left Tumbarumba, who has plenty of speed, racing from last as Late September cruised behind Half Full’s opening quarter-mile of 22.05. Late September, who took over past the three-furlong marker, got his half-mile in 45.62 and had plenty left to hold clear a steady run from Tumbarumba, who came home four lengths clear of third-place Calioco. The winner clocked 1:11.04 for six furlongs over a fast track and paid $12.

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Trained by Jose Camejo for Kevin Steadman, Late September’s 2-year-old campaign has been ambitious, to say the least. Fourth in his debut this past April at Keeneland, he won a Churchill maiden race in May, then went to Royal Ascot and finished last of 17 in the Coventry Stakes. Back in action Oct. 15, Late September won a $100,000 Delta Downs stakes before running below form over a sloppy track finishing third in the Joseph Peluso Memorial last month at Fair Grounds. Bred by Coteau Grove Farm, Late September is by Munnings out of Hello Maggie Mae, by Lemon Drop Kid.

In the Lassie, it was bet-down even-money-favorite Norah G who put herself in a difficult position breaking last of 7. Free Drop Maddy, who was 11-10 and deserved to be the favorite, got away well, pressed inside as Don’tcallmepatsy took an early lead through an opening quarter-mile in 22.26, took over to lead by more than two lengths into the homestretch, and held on to beat a hard-charging Norah G by a neck.

Norah G, a sharp debut winner last month at Fair Grounds, probably would’ve caught Free Drop Maddy despite the slow start had she not gotten stuck behind a wall of horses between the 5/16 pole and the quarter pole. Steered inside, Norah G rallied steadily along the fence but could not quite reach the winner, who ran six furlongs in 1:11.66 and paid $4.20.

Reylu Gutierrez rode Free Drop Maddy for trainer Bret Calhoun and owner Mansfield Racing. Bred by Clear Creek Stud, Free Drop Maddy is by Free Drop Billy out of Solo Buena, by Half Ours.

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