Look Into My Eyes takes Tellike for third straight win

One win streak was extended and another was snapped Friday night at Evangeline Downs, where Look Into My Eyes captured her third straight race in the $60,000 Tellike Stakes. Boom Bam Bing, who was going for her fourth straight win, finished second. She was beaten 2 3/4 lengths in the race moved from turf to the main track.

The Tellike was one of three stakes on the card. Sunny Oak accounted for the $70,000 Acadiana, and Steel Cut proved best in the $75,000 Spotted Horse.

Look Into My Eyes ($9.40) rode the rail in the five-furlong Tellike, stalking in fourth as Diamond Cutter took the field through an opening quarter in 22.27 seconds. Look Into My Eyes advanced, got through between horses at the top of the stretch, and shuttled home. She covered the distance on a sloppy, sealed track in 57.99 seconds.

“She loved the track, the sloppy track,” said winning trainer Efren Loza Jr.

Emanuel Nieves was aboard Look Into My Eyes for Kathleen Amaya and Raffaele Centofanti. The filly has now won six races from 10 career starts. Look Into My Eyes is a 4-year-old by City Zip and was bred in Louisiana by Robert McDowell and Bethe Deal.

In the Spotted Horse, Steel Cut ($4.40) came rolling off the turn and kicked past the leaders for a one-length win over Forest Lake. The winner was stretching out to a mile off a $16,000 starter-allowance score at 6 1/2 furlongs at Churchill Downs. She covered the distance Friday in 1:39.18.

“I had a wonderful trip,” said winning rider Donnie Meche. “She was just waiting for me to tell her to go on.”

Wes Hawley owns and trains Steel Cut, a 5-year-old by Cactus Ridge. She was bred in Oklahoma by Dream Walkin’ Farms. Steel Cut has now won 11 races from 26 starts.

In the Acadiana, Sunny Oak ($5.80) ran down 4-5 favorite Believe in Bertie for a three-quarter-length win in the seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies bred in Louisiana. Sunny Oak covered the distance in 1:23.67.

“It looks like she likes the slop,” said winning trainer Eddie Johnston.

Johnston also sent out third-place finisher Calamity Jane. The fillies were coupled and race for Keith Plaisance.

Diego Saenz rode Sunny Oak, a daughter of Giant Oak bred by Jeff Wahman and Darlene Wahman.