Sassi Strutter hands Synthetic her first loss in Ova Charged Stakes

On the last day of the 2025-26 Fair Grounds meet, Sassi Strutter handed standout Louisiana-bred 4-year-old filly Synthetic her first defeat.

Sassi Strutter, Tommy Pompell riding for trainer Lee Thomas and Michele Rodriguez’s Elite Thoroughbred Racing, sat just off a speed duel between Synthetic and the capable Six String, and while Synthetic won the pace battle with Six String, finishing one length ahead of her in second, she lost the $100,000 Ova Charged by one length.

Sassi Strutter, a 5-year-old homebred by Sassicaia out of She’s Prado’s Idol, by Screen Idol, won for the ninth time in 21 starts, running 5 1/2 furlongs over a firm grass course in 1:03.48 and paying $18.60 as the fifth choice.

Synthetic, the even-money favorite, had won her first four starts by nearly 25 combined lengths. Her trainer, Bobby Felks, had confidence the filly could transfer her dirt form into her turf debut Sunday, but she did not.

:: Big Action in the Big Easy at Fair Grounds! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now.

He’s Late Again, claimed by Messina Racing and trainer Brad Cox for $35,000 out of his most recent start, in great part to run on closing day, was home by a head in the last of four Louisiana-bred Sunday stakes, the $100,000 Star Guitar. Letmikefigureitout ran a winning race but might’ve gotten just a touch too much of a solid early and middle pace, unable to contain a late run from He’s Late Again while finishing two lengths clear of third-place Sippin On Gin, the 2-1 favorite.

Under Marcelino Pedroza Jr., He’s Late Again ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.12 and paid $7.60. He’s Late Again is by Aurelius Maximus out of Pixie Devil, by Stephen Got Even.

Blue Fire ($4.40) went wire to wire under Florent Geroux in the $100,000 Shantel Lanerie Memorial, holding clear a sustained bid by 1-2 favorite Margie’s Intention by a half-length. Only two others ran in the race, triggering the cancellation of show betting. Blue Fire also is by Aurelius Maximus and is out of the Maimonides mare Mystic Blue. Steve Asmussen trains the 4-year-old filly for Stonestreet Stables and Peter Leidel, and Blue Fire, whose earning went over a half-million dollars, now sports a 12-6-4-0 career mark.

Our Moneyman, the 4-5 favorite, kicked off the Sunday stakes action with a half-length score in the Crescent City Derby, his first try around two turns. Jockey Axel Concepcion made a relatively early bid at pacesetting Bubby, who had no response while fading to a distant third, as Wherethehitsare proved a more tenacious foe, eventually going down to a three-quarters length defeat.

Bret Calhoun trains Our Moneyman for his breeder, Chester Thomas’s Allie Racing Stable, and Our Moneyman ran 1 1/16 miles on dirt in 1:43.23, paying $3.80. Our Moneyman is by Mr. Money out of Lipstick Junky, by Flatter.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.