Louisiana Downs: Look At the Time should improve back on turf for Red Erwin

Look At the Time has made just two starts on the grass, but both were notable efforts and suggest he will relish the return to turf Saturday at Louisiana Downs in the $150,000 A.L. “Red” Erwin. The race, for 3-year-olds bred in Louisiana, is part of the annual “Southern Showcase” card of six restricted stakes worth a cumulative $600,000.

Look At the Time made his turf debut in the $60,000 Gentilly at Fair Grounds in February and dominated by more than three lengths. In his only other start on grass, he hooked Silver Max during that one’s six-race win streak. The two met in May in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs, and Look At the Time finished fifth to Silver Max, beaten just four lengths by the horse who would go on to win the Grade 2 Virginia Derby. Look At the Tim walked away from the Churchill confrontation with a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 86.

“He’s run some very good races on the turf,” said Dwight Viator, who trains Look At the Time for Hooties Racing. “When he shipped into Kentucky, he ran a heck of a good race there. We think he’s a much better horse on the turf than the dirt.”

Look At the Time, who is by the Grade 1-winning turf stallion Brahms, enters the Erwin, which will be run at a mile, off a fifth-place finish in the $75,000 Louisiana Cup Derby at Louisiana Downs on Aug. 18. He was beaten 7 1/2 lengths by wire-to-wire winner Top Cat Boogie.

“He struggled,” Viator said of Look At the Time. “He didn’t handle the main track at all.”

Viator likes how Look At the Time has done since and said for the Erwin the horse will be reunited with Kentucky-based jockey Corey Lanerie, who was aboard Look At the Time in the Gentilly and American Turf.

“Corey fits him good, gets a lot of run out of him,” said Viator.

The pair will break from post 2. Others set to start include Ten to Midnight and Shave and Pave, both of whom have more natural speed than most of their rivals Saturday.

In the Erwin’s counterpart for fillies, the $150,000 Elge Rasberry, Blessed Immaculata will be returning to turf for the first time since April, when she ran third in a first-level allowance at Fair Grounds. The race was her first start on turf, first at two turns, and first against winners, and she was prominent over a course rated good. Blessed Immaculata, who might benefit from firm footing, will break from post 2 for Crescent City Racing and trainer Chris Candies.

◗ The stakes action starts in the first race with the $50,000 Lady Razorback, which is for 2-year-old fillies bred in Arkansas. Good Night is the lone winner in the field, and while the six-furlong distance might be less than optimum for the daughter of Wilko, she brings the most experience to the table. She also exits an open-company stakes in which she finished fifth to Always Kitten, who is a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

◗ Valid Commander was a five-length debut winner in his last start and rates as the one to catch in the $50,000 Razorback Futurity, a six-furlong race for 2-year-old colts and geldings bred in Arkansas. Chris Rosier has the mount for trainer Wes Hawley.

◗ I Dare U Em’s experience and pedigree should help her get the seven-furlong distance of the 2-year-old fillies division of the $100,000 Louisiana Stallion Stakes. Mark Guidry will ride for trainer Brett Brinkman.

◗ Palmy Bay will be seeking his second consecutive stakes win in the 2-year-old colts and geldings division of the $100,000 Louisiana Stallion Stakes. Richard Eramia rides for trainer Pat Mouton.