Net a Bear repeats in off-the-turf Opelousas Stakes
Net a Bear won the $60,000 Opelousas for the second year in a row Friday night at Evangeline Downs, where she rallied down the center of the track for a neck victory over Lady Valentine. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third to favorite Quinn Ella.
The one-mile race for fillies and mares was originally scheduled for turf, but was run on a sloppy and sealed main track.
Net a Bear ($6.20) settled off the pace set by Lady Valentine, who led through fractions of 24.07 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.81 for the half-mile. Net a Bear advanced along the final turn as Quinn Ella moved to the fore through six furlongs in 1:12.90. In the stretch, Net a Bear moved past Quinn Ella and a resurgent Lady Valentine to win in 1:39.52.
Timothy Thornton was aboard Net a Bear for trainer Allen Landry.
Net a Bear has now won eight of her last 11 starts. She earned $36,000 for her win in the Opelousas to improve her career record to 13 wins from 35 starts for earnings of $651,970. Of her wins, 10 have come in stakes. She is the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association’s champion older female of 2021.
Net a Bear is a 6-year-old daughter of Awesome Bet who races for Maximo Lamarche and Federico Deltoro.
Earlier on the card, Teasin’ Tesla ($4) turned in a breakthrough performance when she romped by 21 lengths in a maiden special weight for fillies and mares. The race was moved from turf to the sloppy main track. Teasin’ Tesla is a 3-year-old daughter of Will Take Charge and Miss Atlantic City, a past winner of the Delta Downs Princess. She was making her fifth career start and first on a wet track Friday.