Marquee Prince scores in off-turf Black Gold Stakes

Turf or dirt, trainer Brad Cox keeps finding good spots for Marquee Prince.

A month after he captured the Lloyd “Captain” Maestri over one mile on turf at Fair Grounds, Marquee Prince won the $75,000 Black Gold Stakes at one mile on dirt after wet course conditions forced a move off the grass. Marquee Prince is no star, but he has now won four times in his seven starts.

Spectacular Gem went to the front in the Black Gold and set moderate splits of 24.35 and 48.41 seconds, Marquee Prince nipping at his heels. Florent Geroux on Marquee Prince attacked midway around the turn and Marquee Prince readily went past the pacesetter, getting six furlongs in 1:13.04. Tobacco Road made a mild run for second but never threatened the winner, Marquee Prince getting home by 3 1/4 lengths as Spectacular Gem held third.

“He’s quite a bit more comfortable on turf,” Geroux said. “But he has good tactical speed that allowed me to get a good position.”

Marquee Prince was timed in 1:39.02 for the mile on a fast track and paid $5 as the favorite. Marquee Prince is by Cairo Prince out of Try to Remember, by Include, and is owned by Rick, Donna, and Jeff Awtrey.

Underpressure airs in Dixie Poker Ace

Underpressure won the best dirt race of the meet for older Louisiana-bred dirt-route horse, the Champions Day Classic, and had little trouble conquering the $50,000 Dixie Poker Ace on Saturday after the race was moved from turf to dirt because of a wet course.

Rallying along the inside under Corey Lanerie, Underpressure won by 1 1/4-lengths over outside-closing Mageez, both horses finishing into a half-mile split of 47.83 seconds that evidently enervated pacesetters Afleet Ascent and Grand Luwegee. Gladyousawme, a 30-1 shot, made the first move and had the lead a furlong out before being run down by the top two and holding third.

Underpressure was timed in 1:38.92 for one mile on a fast track and paid, in retrospect, a generous $10.60 to win. Chris Richard trains Underpressure for Mallory Greiner and the 5-year-old horse by Birdstone and out of Charming Colleen, by Charismatic, now has notched 9 wins from 27 starts during a fine career. The $36,000 winner’s share of the purse boosted his earnings over a half-million dollars.