Monte Man fresh for Louisiana Cup Sprint

Monte Man will be giving up recency to all of his rivals Saturday at Louisiana Downs when he makes his first start in more than two months in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Sprint – but that’s not necessarily a strike against the reigning Louisiana horse of the year.

“I think it’s a good thing,” trainer Ron Faucheux said. “He keeps himself fit and he’s worked great going into this race. In the past, he seems to have run pretty good off a layoff, so we don’t think it will be any issue going into this one.”

Monte Man won last year’s Louisiana Cup Sprint off a layoff of similar length in his lone start at Louisiana Downs.

The race Saturday is one of seven stakes on the annual Louisiana Cup Day program, with all of the races restricted to Louisiana-breds except the $60,000 Prelude, the local prep for the Super Derby. The Louisiana Cup races are each worth $50,000, making total purses on the card worth $360,000. The program also features a $278,113 carryover in the jackpot pick six, which starts in the second race, the Sprint.

Monte Man enters the six-furlong stakes off a three-quarter-length win in the $75,000 Louisiana Legends Sprint on May 25 at Evangeline Downs. His works since include a bullet half-mile in 47.80 seconds July 24 at Evangeline.

“I was really impressed with how he went about his work,” Faucheux said. “Normally, he’s not really a great breeze horse. He just kind of goes about his business, but he’s really sharp right now.”

Gerard Melancon has the mount from post 2 for Ivery Sisters Racing.

“I always prefer him to have an outside post, but he’s won from inside posts before,” Faucheux said. “Hopefully, he’s able to run his race.”

The field of seven also includes stakes winners Wonder Run and Laughingsaintssong.

The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association named Monte Man its 2018 horse of the year following a season in which he won five straight stakes for Louisiana-breds.

“He’s so classy,” Faucheux said. “He really trains himself. He’s a very simple horse for us to train. I think that proper spacing has really helped him maintain his form. But, like I said, he’s an easy horse to train and he’s easy on himself. Every day is a good day with him.”

Pickens tops Heiligbrodt pair

Pickens looks like a strong favorite in the Juvenile, which will be run over six furlongs. He owns the field’s best career Beyer Speed Figure, a 72, earned for a maiden special weight win in his last start July 5 at Prairie Meadows.

The son of Goldencents is one of two starters owners Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt have on the program, with B’s Ten set to start as a contender in the Louisiana Cup Distaff, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares. Richard Eramia rides both horses for trainer Steve Asmussen.

The runners will be looking to continue the strong racing year being had by the Heiligbrodts, who have a top 3-year-old Louisiana-bred in Shang as well as Grade 1 winners Mitole and Mia Mischief.

“We love to race in Louisiana,” Bill Heiligbrodt said. “We’ve always been active in the region.”

The Distaff favorites are Is Too, who comes off a win against open company in the $50,000 Opelousas at Evangeline Downs, and Bermuda Star, a two-time stakes winner over the turf course at Louisiana Downs, including last year’s Louisiana Cup Distaff.

The Juvenile Fillies drew a large field of 12, including Evangeline Downs stakes winner Sarah’s Passion.

In the Navy defending title

In the Navy will be looking to win the Turf Classic, a 1 1/16-mile race, for the second year in a row. He was a half-length winner last year after overcoming post 10.

In the Navy, who drew post 9 for Saturday, enters off a close fourth-place finish in the $50,000 John Henry, an open-company turf route July 20 at Evangeline.

“He should run good,” trainer Scott Gelner said. “Last time, he was just all dressed up with nowhere to go to late. He wasn’t able to get through.”

Diego Saenz has the mount for Kendel Standelee.

The Filly and Mare Sprint field of 10 includes defending winner P Boo, stakes winners Yes Gorgeous and Diamond Cutter, and New York invader Play Unified. Gelner owns and trains Yes Gorgeous.

Galaxy Thirtysix, who could go favored under Hall of Fame rider Edgar Prado, is cross-entered in the Distaff but will run in the Filly and Mare Sprint, Faucheux said.