Monte Man wins sixth straight on Louisiana Cup day

Monte Man won his sixth consecutive race when he held off a charging Cheers to Berti by a neck in the Louisiana Cup Sprint. It was the fourth straight stakes win for Monte Man, who has been unbeatable against Louisiana-breds since returning to his home state after being claimed for $25,000 at Belmont Park.

“I’m so happy for the owners,” said Ron Faucheux, who trains Monte Man for Ivery Sisters Racing.

The Sprint was the last of seven stakes on the seven-race card. Of the races, six were restricted to horses bred in Louisiana. The additional stakes, the open-company Prelude, was the local prep for the Grade 3, $300,000 Super Derby, and went to a Louisiana-bred in Autumn Warrior ($4).

Monte Man ($4.40) took the Sprint field through an opening quarter in 23.08 seconds then was joined on the lead by Divine Bean, with the pair knocking out a half-mile in 45.42 seconds. The eventual winner had more and went on to cover six furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.17.

Gerard Melancon was aboard the horse, and both he and Faucheux said they were not really expecting Monte Man to be on the lead Saturday.

“He was really fresh,” Faucheux said of the horse who was making his first start since May.

Faucheux told Louisiana Downs publicity in a post-race interview broadcast by the track that Monte Man could run out of state next, with a long-term goal a pair of stakes late in the year at Fair Grounds, the Heitai and the Louisiana Champions Day Sprint.

Monte Man is a 5-year-old gelded son of Custom for Carlos.

In the Navy narrowly in Turf Classic

In the Navy held off a closing bid from Magic Vow to win the $60,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic by a half-length Saturday at Louisiana Downs. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third to pacesetter Sir Genghis.

In the Navy ($11.20) was content to track the pace set by Sir Genghis, who took the field through an opening quarter in 24.09 seconds, a half-mile in 48.29, and six furlongs in 1:12.16. In the Navy overtook that rival then in the late stages fended off Magic Vow while covering 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:42.11.

“At about the quarter pole, I called on him and he responded,” said winning rider Colby Hernandez. “He does all the work. I just had to be a good passenger.”

Scott Gelner trains In the Navy.

“This is his fourth different racetrack to run on grass and he’s handled everyone he’s run at,” Gelner said. “He loves the turf no matter where the surface is.”

Gelner told Louisiana Downs publicist Martha Claussen in a post-race interview broadcast by the track that In the Navy will probably run next at Fair Grounds.

In the Navy is a son of Midshipman who races for Kendel Standlee.

P Boo in photo over Dixie Brees

P Boo came back along the inside to win the Louisiana Cup Filly and Mare Sprint by a neck over Dixie Brees. The winner later withstood a stewards’ inquiry and jockey’s objection, after which no changes were made to the order of finish. P Boo covered six furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.17.

P Boo ($5.60) set fractions of 23.02 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.84 for the half-mile before winning battling back in the stretch when challenged by Dixie Brees. Tommy Pompell rode the winner for trainer Kirk Harris.

“Tommy rode one heck of a race down the stretch,” Harris said.

“About the last four or five jumps, I put the whip away and went to hand riding her, and she responded to that,” said Pompell.

P Boo is a daughter of Dominus who races for Harris and his wife, Gillian, and Robert Lestz.

Another stakes winner for Goldencents

The stallion Goldencents picked up his second stakes winner from his first crop when Silvercents ($8.40) rallied to win the Juvenile Fillies. She won by three-quarters of a length over Raising the Ante, while it was another four lengths back in third to Whodatwhodat.

Last month, Pickett became the first stakes winner for Goldencents when he captured a $75,000 division of the D.S. "Shine" Young Futurity at Evangeline Downs. Goldencents, a two-time winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, stands at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Ky.

Silvercents was content to sit off the pace set by favorite Iona Guitar, who took the field through an opening quarter in 22.54 seconds. Silvercents angled out after a half-mile in 46.31 and moved past the leaders in the stretch while covering six furlongs on a fast track in 1:12.93.

Sasha Risenhoover was aboard for trainer Terry Eoff, who co-owns Silvercents with Johnny Evans.

Silvercents came into the Juvenile Fillies off a runner-up finish in a $100,000 division of the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity at Lone Star Park.

Cabo’s Rumor rolls in Juvenile

Cabo’s Rumor ($21.40) rolled through the stretch for a three-length win over favorite Beto in the Juvenile. It was another head back in third to Victory Trip.

Cabo’s Rumor sat off fractions of 22.59 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.73 for the half-mile, with Victory Trip looking home free in the stretch. But Cabo’s Rumor caught that one and went on to cover six furlongs on a fast track in 1:13.01.

Emanuel Nieves was aboard for breeder-owner Northpointe Thoroughbreds and trainer Steven Duke.

Cabo’s Rumor is a son of Amanecer de Oro, a young stallion by Afternoon Deelites.

► Bermuda Star ($12.40) surged up the rail for a four-length win over Eskenformore in the Distaff. The winner covered 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:42.08. Diego Saenz rode Bermuda Star for Brittlyn Stable and trainer Victor Arceneaux. Bermuda Star is a 4-year-old daughter of Star Guitar.