Relentless Dancer brings big Beyer edge to Louisiana Legacy

Relentless Dancer will be armed with a standout Beyer Speed Figure when he makes his first start against winners in Saturday night’s $100,000 Louisiana Legacy at Delta Downs.

The Legacy is for 2-year-olds bred in Louisiana and it has drawn a strong cast of nine, including stakes winners X Clown and Richard Ronald. The race will be run over seven furlongs, which is a two-turn configuration at Delta.

Relentless Dancer earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 82 in his last start Sept. 27 – a number that ranks from 12 to 66 points higher than each of the last dirt numbers put up by his rivals in the Legacy. He earned the Beyer in a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, winning in a dead heat with Silver State. The pair drew off by nine and three-quarter lengths, while covering six and a half furlongs in 1:16.44.

Relentless Dancer added Lasix for the race, the second start of his career. He is moving to two turns for the first time Saturday. The son of Midshipman is a half-brother to Rock N Sake, who was a stakes winner at two turns, and My Kay Sara, who ran third in a past edition of the Legacy at Delta.

Colby Hernandez has the mount on Relentless Dancer from post 8 . Mike Maker trains the horse for Paradise Farms Corp., Terry Raymond, Jana Wagner and Jeff Gardella.

X Clown returns to the Louisiana-bred ranks after a fast-closing win in the $50,000 Evangeline Downs Prince Aug. 24. He earned a Beyer Figure of 59 in the six-furlong race. Tyler Woodley, who was aboard X Clown, has the mount from post 6 for trainer Jerry Delhomme.

Richard Ronald won the $65,000 Prairie Gold Juvenile in July at Prairie Meadows. He is making his first start against Louisiana-breds and enters off a runner-up finish in the $72,000 Shakopee Juvenile at six furlongs Sept. 14 at Canterbury. He earned a Beyer of 56. Gerard Melancon has the mount from post 5 for trainer Gary Scherer.

Pickens finished second in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile on Aug. 3 at Louisiana Downs and second in the $75,000 Kip Deville on Sept. 29 at Remington. He earned a Beyer of 67 in the six-furlong Kip Deville. Diego Saenz has the mount from post 9 for trainer Steve Asmussen.