Louisiana Downs: Nanie's Dinner wins

Nanie's Dinner's affinity for the Sawyer Turf Course was evident again, as she held on to win the Sangue Handicap at Louisiana Downs. Outsider Due To Win, a stakes winner on the turf here last year, came close to making a triumphant return, as her late rally came up three quarters of a length short. Peruvian Waltz was third, followed by Taffy, a winner by three lengths over Nanie's Dinner in the Delicada Stakes on the main track Aug. 5.

Nanie's Dinner has won 4 of 5 starts on the grass here, all of them stakes. Kirk LeBlanc put Nanie's Dinner on the lead and dared her rivals to come get her. Peruvian Waltz pressed the winner down the backstretch through a half-mile in 48.82 seconds. The pace quickened into a three-quarter mile split of 1:11.91, and Peruvian Waltz began to weaken. Taffy, stalking the leaders while saving ground, was unable to muster a bid in the drive and Due To Win's rally came too late.

Owned by Billie Courtney, Nanie's Dinner has now won half of her 20 career starts, and has bankrolled just under $350,000. The winner ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.13 and paid $3.80.