Remington: Louies Flower pulls 23-1 surprise in Springboard Mile

Louies Flower pulled a 23-1 upset in the $250,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park on Sunday, when he held off Noble Cornerstone by a neck in the one-mile race for 2-year-olds. It was another 5 1/2 lengths back in third to Smack Smack.

The Springboard Mile was the richest of four stakes on what was scheduled to be the final program of the meet. But winter weather forced Remington to lose three cards earlier this month, and the races lost are to be made up on special afternoon programs Monday and Tuesday.

Louies Flower ($48) went wide into the first turn and settled into a stalking position down the backstretch, as Alpha and Omega and Dunkin Bend were prominent through fractions of 23.58 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.18 for the half-mile. Louies Flower began his bid past the half-mile pole, advanced three-wide around the final turn, took the lead and the quarter pole and had enough to keep a charging Noble Cornerstone at bay.

“He’s a game horse, he knows how to win,” said Luis Quinonez, who rode Louies Flower.

Louies Flower was winning his third straight race in the Springboard, following a maiden special weight sprint Oct. 2 and a first-level allowance route Oct. 30. Both races came at Remington. In the Springboard, he covered the mile on a fast track in 1:38.83.

Bret Calhoun, who trains Louies Flower for Wesley Melcher, was well-pleased with the trip the horse got in the Springboard.

“I was pretty excited about the way it went,” he said. “I didn’t know how the first part of the race would set up. There was just so much speed. There were a lot of sprinters that had been on the front end in their races, two-turn horses that had been on the front like [Louies Flower]. It looked like a tremendous amount of pace.”

Calhoun said he felt position into the first turn would be key for Louies Flower.

“When I saw Luis relaxed, sitting third, I thought we had a huge chance,” said Calhoun.

Calhoun took special precautions with Louies Flower to make sure the horse who last raced in October was not too fresh for the Springboard. A winter storm leading up to the race disrupted training at Remington, so Calhoun shipped Louies Flower to the Evangeline Downs Training Center for about a week to keep him on his normal training regimen. Louies Flower shipped back to Remington on Friday.

The next stop for the colt will be Oaklawn Park.

“He’s going to ship to Hot Springs on Wednesday,” said Calhoun. “We haven’t thought about anything past this race. He looks like he could go through the series at Oaklawn, but nothing is set in stone right now. I don’t have anything in mind. I’m stabled at Oaklawn and Fair Grounds, and he could get involved with one of those series, if not a combination [of the races].”

Calhoun said Louies Flower was made an early-bird nominee to the Louisiana Derby prior to the Springboard Mile.

Louies Flower is a May foal by Flower Alley and was bred in Florida by Shadybrook Farm and Castletop Stable. He earned $150,000 for his win, to improve his record to 3 for 5 for earnings of $190,083.

The remaining order of finish in the Springboard was Walt in fourth; followed by favorite Boji Moon, Divine View, Dunkin Bend, Pachanga Party, Big Sugar High, Denali Rahy Ruler, Guns Loaded, and Alpha and Omega.

Calhoun won the Springboard Mile for the second time on Sunday, following a 2010 score with Grant Jack.

* La Mejor Fiesta ($7.20) rallied for a 1 ¼-length win over favorite Really and Truly in the $50,000 Trapeze, a one-mile race for 2-year-old fillies. Kent Desormeaux rode the winner for Ice Wine Stable and trainer Wesley Ward. She covered the distance in 1:40.16. La Mejor Fiesta is a daughter of Harlan’s Holiday.

*Big Sugarush ($10.60) was a neck winner over My Brother Don in the $50,000 Jim Thorpe for 3-year-olds bred in Oklahoma. Ramon Vazquez rode the winner for Danny Caldwell and trainer Federico Villafranco.

* More Than Even ($5.80) dominated the $50,000 Useeit for 3-year-old fillies bred in Oklahoma, when she rolled to a 6 1/4- length win over Eye Love Jeanie. Alex Birzer was aboard for Doyle Williams and trainer Michael Teel.