Local boy Faucheux enjoying view from top

The Fair Grounds races ended Thursday, and at the top of the trainer standings still stood Ron Faucheux. Faucheux’s 18 winners were one more than Steve Asmussen and Brad Cox and two more than Tom Amoss.

Faucheux comes out running at the start of the Fair Grounds meet, and at the end of December, with Churchill-centric outfits still getting their Fair Grounds legs under them, you could easily see Faucheux on top. At the end of January, you might start to think Faucheux will be among the leading trainers all Fair Grounds season. The meet began on Thanksgiving and ends in late March.

“I don’t know if I have enough horses to do it this year,” Faucheux said, asked about the prospects for his first Fair Grounds training title. “I’ve never really gone into this meet with that in mind. I don’t have the numbers, probably, but we’re enjoying the run as long as it lasts.”

Faucheux, 37, is the stepson of owner and trainer Louie Roussel. He started training on his own in 2009 and his career trajectory has generally pointed up. Faucheux (pronounced fo-SHAY) has more horses this winter at Fair Grounds, 45, than ever before, and his string, heavy on Louisiana-breds, has meshed smoothly with the races that are making it onto the program this winter.

“There’s no question me and my owners gear up for this meet,” Faucheux said. “We know what horses to bring, and it’s to our advantage that we do have a big stable of Louisiana-breds.”

Two of those Louisiana-breds are entered to see action on Sunday’s card. Spartanburg, a longtime staple of Fair Grounds grass races for Louisiana-breds, is entered in race 4, while Bertie’s Galaxy runs in race 7, an open first-level dirt-sprint allowance with a $17,500 claiming option.

Faucheux and owner Allen Cassedy claimed Bertie’s Galaxy for $20,000 out of his career debut about a year ago at Fair Grounds and are long since out on their purchase. Bertie’s Galaxy already is a two-time winner this meet, and having cleared both Louisiana-bred allowance conditions tackles open company Sunday.

“He’s a really nice horse that keeps on developing,” said Faucheux.

Faucheux, too, continues to develop at Fair Grounds. He won a personal-best 26 races at last season’s meeting and is well on his way to surpassing that total.

“For a local that’s grown up in New Orleans and trains in Louisiana year round, it’s awesome,” Faucheux said.