Social Misfit has first stakes win in Louisiana Legends

Social Misfit upset millionaire Mobile Bay on Saturday night when he fought for a head win over Lucky Andy in the $100,000 Louisiana Legends Classic at Evangeline Downs.

Mobile Bay, the 1-2 favorite in search of his sixth consecutive stakes win, broke slowly, raced wide throughout and finished fifth.

The Classic, at 1 1/16 miles, was one of seven divisional stakes on the card, all for horses bred in Louisiana. The races were worth a cumulative $600,000, making for the richest program of the Evangeline meet.

Social Misfit ($18.20), 9, won the first stakes race of his career Saturday. He saved ground along the rail as he stalked the pace in third, with No One Greater clear through fractions of 24.99 seconds for the opening quarter and 50.01 for the half-mile.

Social Misfit advanced on the final turn, angled out approaching the quarter pole, took the lead in the stretch and covered the distance on a track upgraded to fast in 1:45.94.

“We knew going in we’d have to lay pretty close,” winning rider Tim Thornton said. “We knew we had to get the jump on Mobile Bay if we were going to beat him today.”

Mobile Bay broke last of all in the field of seven, raced wide into the first turn and came four wide into the stretch before finishing three lengths behind the winner. The two-time Louisiana-bred horse of the year brought a five-race win streak into the Classic. If he had won, he would have moved into third on the list of all-time leading Louisiana-breds by earnings, overtaking Scott’s Scoundrel on a list led by Star Guitar.

Social Misfit earned $60,000 for the win, which was his 17th from 63 starts. He has now earned $486,966. Karl Broberg trains Social Misfit and also co-owns the horse with Matt Johanson under the banner End Zone Athletics.

Louisiana Legends Night also featured a group of legendary retired jockeys with ties to Louisiana – Eddie Delahoussaye, Mark Guidry, Randy Romero, and Ray Sibille. The men met with patrons before the races Saturday.