The Pickett Factor stands out in Louisiana Premier Night Championship
The Pickett Factor ran a breakthrough race when last seen at Delta Downs. He returns Saturday night for the $200,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship, one of six stakes on a program worth more than $1 million. Other top horses taking part in the card restricted to Louisiana-breds include Heitai, who runs in the $100,000 Sprint, and Jet Black Magic, who starts in the $125,000 Starlet.
The Championship goes as the 10th race on a program that starts at 5:40 p.m. Central. A field of eight is set to start in the 1 1/16-mile race for 4-year-olds and up, including defending race winner One King’s Man and multiple stakes winners Stormdriver, Louisiana Flyboy, and Four Leaf Chief.
But much of the focus will be on The Pickett Factor, who in November swept into Delta and charged to a 5 3/4-length win in the $100,000 Gold Cup. For the effort, he earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 99.
“I liked that race,” said Ralph Irwin, who trains The Pickett Factor for Melissa Cantacuzene. “I thought there were so many hurdles he had to go over, and unanswered questions. For one fact, he’d never shipped to run. We’d never run under the lights. We’d never run on a [six-furlong track]. And it was a very different surface. He obviously handled everything in good fashion.”
The Pickett Factor followed up with a tour-de-force performance in the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic on Dec. 12 at Fair Grounds. He separated himself from a field that included Grade 2 winner Mobile Bay, winning by 5 1/4 lengths under Luis Quinonez.
“I was choked up, I’ll tell you that,” Irwin said. “To see him go that mile and an eighth in the fashion he did it … Luis waited till he really needed him and then put the punch on him, and he opened up a couple [of lengths], and then Luis just kind of shook the reins at him a little bit to keep his attention, and he opened up three more! I just feel real blessed to have him in our barn and for the people that own him. They’re so deserving.”
Irwin has prepped The Pickett Factor for Premier Night at a training center in northern Louisiana and said the horse breezed five furlongs Tuesday. It’s the same protocol the horse has used for his last two races. Quinonez will again be in the saddle from post 4.
“He’s very versatile,” Irwin said. “He can go to the front. He can come from off the pace.”
One King’s Man also enters Premier Night off a powerful win, having taken a Fair Grounds optional claimer for Louisiana-breds by five lengths Jan. 7. He won the one-mile race out of the No. 10 hole, one start after finishing fourth to The Pickett Factor in the Classic. Miguel Mena has the mount for Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trainer Joe Sharp.
Jet Black Magic in Starlet
Jet Black Magic, the winner of the Grade 3, $400,000 Delta Downs Princess, and Sea Vow, a winner of three stakes in his last three starts, lead the 3-year-old divisional stakes Saturday.
Jet Black Magic goes in the $125,000 Starlet, a seven-furlong race that will be run around two turns. She is shortening up in distance from the Silverbulletday Stakes, in which she ran third last month at Fair Grounds, and the Princess, run at a mile on the Jackpot card at Delta.
“I prefer a mile as opposed to seven-eighths, but it’s still two turns,” said Bret Calhoun, who trains Jet Black Magic for Carl Moore. “I think she’ll be back off the pace. There’s plenty of speed in there, and I think we’ll sit off of it and make a move.”
Colby Hernandez has the mount from post 9.
Sea Vow leads the $125,000 Prince, also at seven furlongs. He is returning to the statebred ranks after defeating open company in the $75,000 Big Drama at Delta. Earlier in the meet, he won the track’s $150,000 Louisiana Legacy, then shipped to Fair Grounds and won the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile.
Heitai seeks third win in Sprint
Heitai will be shooting for his third straight win in the Premier Night Sprint, which will be run over five furlongs. He enters the race off a third-place finish in the Louisiana Champions Day Sprint at Fair Grounds and will get a rematch the winner of that race, Jockamo’s Song.
◗ Oh Baby Oh Baby will be going for her fifth straight win at the meet in the $150,000 Distaff for older fillies and mares at a mile. Platinum Lady and Lady Grantham are chief players in the $100,000 Matron Sprint.