Mobile Bay captures Super Derby

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Sleeping Beauty is now a Grade 2 winner.

Mobile Bay, whose favorite pastime is resting, woke up in a big way on Saturday when he closed for a 2 1/4-length win over Chocopologie in the $400,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. Allied Air Raid, the favorite, won a photo for third over The Pickett Factor.

The Super Derby anchored a card of seven stakes worth $900,000. The program was the richest of the meet at Louisiana Downs.

Mobile Bay ($10.80) had a pair of Louisiana-bred stakes wins on his resume leading up to the Super Derby. He did not get the break in Saturday’s 1 1/8- mile race and then went wide into the first turn as Prime Engine jetted clear through fractions of 23.73 seconds for the opening quarter and 49.97 for the half-mile. The Pickett Factor moved to the lead in a three-way battle through six furlongs in 1:13.48, as Mobile Bay advanced four wide around the final turn and continued to grind past his rivals in the stretch to cover the distance in 1:50.13.

“He just kept on going,” said Edgar Prado, who was winning his first Super Derby. “I saw [The Pickett Factor] inside of me. I knew he was the horse I had to beat, and I was comfortable and confident I’d get there. It was a great feeling.”

Victor Arceneaux trains Mobile Bay, who is the second straight Louisiana-bred to win the Super Derby behind Vicar’s in Trouble in 2014.

“This is the biggest race I’ve ever won in my career,” said Arceneaux. “It’s very flattering.”

Arceneaux, 58, said Mobile Bay is a horse who loves to get down and rest. He said the horse is up for his 4 a.m. feeding, and will back down and rest until it’s time to train each morning. Mobile Bay then naps again after lunch, getting up for feed time in the late afternoon.

“He just goes into a coma,” said Arceneaux.

Mobile Bay is an Irwin Olian homebred by Lone Star Special, who was a two-time stakes winner at Louisiana Downs in 2008. Olian races as Tigertail Ranch.

Mobile Bay is based year round at Evangeline Downs Training Center near Lafayette, La. Arceneaux said plans for the horse will be determined later. Olian was in Canada on Saturday. Arceneaux said a goal will be to race this winter at Fair Grounds with Mobile Bay.