Mr. Al's Gal prevails in Magnolia Stakes

Mr. Al’s Gal comfortably held off favorite Pacific Pink in the mud for a 2 1/4-length win in Friday night’s $100,000 Magnolia at Delta Downs. The win was one of four on the night for jockey Diego Saenz.

The Magnolia, a one-mile race for fillies and mares bred in Louisiana, was the first stakes of the meet. The race figures to produce starters for the Louisiana Champions Day program at Fair Grounds.

Mr. Al’s Gal ($4.40) dueled with eventual third-place finisher Another Pinot through fractions of 24 seconds for the opening quarter, 50.19 for the half-mile, and 1:15.78 for six furlongs. She went on to cover the distance in 1:42.18. With the victory, Mr. Al’s Gal improved her career record to seven wins from nine starts for earnings of $330,680.

Justin Jeansonne trains Mr. Al’s Gal for Brittlyn Stable. The winner is a 3-year-old daughter of Salute the Sarge. Mr. Al’s Gal has now won five stakes and at one point in her young career won five straight races. She came into the Magnolia off a fourth-place finish in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Aug. 5 at Louisiana Downs.