Mizz Money changes tactics to take Lacombe Memorial

Francisco Torres can read a Racing Form.

Looking at the past performances for the $60,000 Allen Lacombe Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds, Torres saw he would be in trouble if Mizz Money, his live mount in the race who was drawn in post 2, ran the way she had in two recent wins, going straight to the lead.

“I studied the race last night and it looked like there were three or four horses who would go out to the front,” Torres said.

Wanting to take back a front-running type and actually being able to take such a horse back are two different things, but Torres’s deft touch combined with Mizz Money’s professionalism to produce a third straight victory for Mizz Money.

Racing in fifth place down the backstretch as Divine Dawn, caught wide on the first turn, pressed a testing half-mile in 46.79 seconds, Torres and Mizz Money popped out of mid-pack after turning for home, rushed up the rail after Divine Dawn had gone clear in upper stretch, and caught the favorite in the final half-furlong to win the Lacombe by a neck. Divine Dawn had two lengths on the third-place horse, Happy to Go. Mizz Money paid $10 to win and was timed in 1:29.82 for 7 1/2 furlongs on a firm, fast-playing course.

Mizz Money, by Mizzen Mast and out of Abbeyville Miss, lost her two starts last year at age 2, but those races came on dirt, and racing exclusively on turf at Fair Grounds she has gone 3 for 3, winning a sprint and two routes.

“The horse has really performed well for us on the grass,” said Bernie Flint, her trainer, co-breeder, and co-owner. “I believe she’s really going to go on and be a good one.”