Monte Man makes it seven straight in Heitai Stakes

Heitai’s heyday as a top Louisiana-bred sprinter from parts of 2012 through 2016 got him a race with his name on it. Heitai never won more than four in a row but Monte Man landed his seventh straight Saturday at Fair Grounds capturing the $50,000 Heitai Stakes by one length over Divine Bean.

Ivery Sisters Racing and Ron Faucheux claimed Monte Man for $25,000 on Oct. 17, 2017 at Belmont Park. They hoped to at least have a horse to knock out a couple Louisiana-bred allowance conditions during last season’s Fair Grounds meet – and got that plus plenty more.

Monte Man won Fair Grounds allowance races last December and January, moved into stakes competition, and now has run in five of those without tasting defeat. Monte Man already was a good claim several races ago and appears still to be improving.

Fall, winter, and spring are the seasons to campaign a Louisiana-bred sprint-stakes horse and, with that in mind, Monte Man’s three races before the Heitai came March 24, May 26, and Aug. 4. Faucheux, who won once on Friday’s meet opener and again Saturday before the Heitai, kept Monte Man in steady maintenance mode the rest of August and during September, started turning the screws in October, and got both a solid performance Saturday and, from all appearances, a useful bridge to the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Sprint on Dec. 6.

Gabriel Saez rode Monte Man for the first time, broke him alertly from the fence, and held position inside Jockamo’s Song as Monte Man cruised along comfortably through a first quarter-mile in 21.83 seconds. Monte Man had a lead of about a length after a half-mile in 45.03 and already looked a very likely winner passing the quarter pole. Saez encouraged his mount with reins more than the crop and Monte Man, victory in hand, finished steadily with a final furlong in 13.05 seconds for a six-furlong time of 1:10.23 and a 2 3/4-length win.

Divine Bean was second by the same margin over inside-closing Greeley Went West. Win Lion Win, Jockamo’s Song, and Cheers to Berti completed the order of finish; Grande Basin was scratched. None of these horses had much claim on beating Monte Man – and none came close – and the winner accordingly paid just $3.

Monte Man, a 5-year-old gelding, is by Custom for Carlos out of Sarah’s My Angel, by Sutter’s Prospect. He was bred by Val Murrell whose Clear Creek Stud stands the sire. Among the dam’s productive clutch of nine horses to race is another multiple stakes winner, Grand Facile.