Moran entry favored in feature

Friday night's allowance feature should set the tone for an exciting closing weekend to the 2009 meeting. For horses who have not won two races this year, the race is slated for the turf and drew a competitive field of 10.

Trainer Donald Moran will send the coupled entry of stakes regular Classy Deelites and the veteran Salic Law for his Moran Racing Stable as the likely favorite. Classy Deelites had his two-race stakes winning streak snapped last time out when he finished second to Star Guitar in the Louisiana Cup Turf Classic at Louisiana Downs in early August. Heavy rain moved that event to the main track, where Classy Deelites is not as accomplished. Star Guitar validated his victory with a win in the $150,000 Evangeline Mile here in his next start.

Salic Law has found a home on the turf here this summer, finishing no worse than second in three starts. The 8-year-old son of Deputy Commander most recently dead-heated for second in an allowance test here last week.

* Crowning a riding and training champ this meet will be little more than a formality as both races were decided long ago.

Heading into the final week of racing here this year, jockey Diego Saenz holds a comfortable 106-84 lead over Gerard Melancon. In the trainers' race, perennial leader Keith Bourgeois has sent out 84 winners this year compared to longtime rival Sam Breaux's 64.