String King three-peats in Turf Classic

String King won the 12th stakes race of his career Saturday at Louisiana Downs, rallying from off the pace to capture the $75,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic by four lengths. It was his third straight win in the race. The Turf Classic was one of seven stakes on a program that included the $100,000 Prelude, won by The Pickett Factor.

String King ($3.20) broke well from the rail but was willing to sit in midpack in the 1 1/16-mile race for Louisiana-breds as Big Dog Doug and Hail to the Nile dueled through fractions of 23.55 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.02 for the half-mile, and 1:11.84 for six furlongs. String King advanced along the rail, was angled out into the stretch, and went on to cover the distance on firm turf in 1:41.97.

“He’s very professional,” said winning rider Richard Eramia. “He can sit on the lead, come from behind.”

Well’s Gold finished second, a nose in front of third-place finisher Big Dog Doug.

Charles Smith bred, owns, and trains String King and has never taken the horse’s success for granted. String King has won 17 races from 37 starts for earnings of $935,552.

“He’s a very special horse,” Smith said. “I wish everybody had a piece of a horse like that. I wish everybody had a little piece of him.”

String King is a 7-year-old by Crowned King and the Fly a Kite mare String Dancer.

In other Louisiana Cup races Saturday:

• Icy Gentleman ($56.60) gave apprentice Hector Del-Cid the first stakes win of his career when he held off 1-2 favorite Cale’s Gold by a neck in the $50,000 Juvenile.

“I thought, ‘I’m going to get it,’ ” Del-Cid said of the dash to the wire Saturday.

Icy Gentleman covered six furlongs in 1:11.82. Trainer Henry Johnson trains the horse for Ironwater Farms Joint Venture.

• Cajun Conoseir ($4) ran her record to 3 for 3 with an 8 3/4-length win in the $50,000 Juvenile Fillies. She covered six furlongs in 1:11.89. Gerard Melancon was aboard for Whispering Oaks Farm and trainer Steve Flint.

• Flower Lady ($30.60) rushed up the rail for a half-length win over Pacific Pink in the $75,000 Distaff. The winner covered 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:42.83. Jose Riquelme was aboard for Jackie Barbarito and trainer Ricky Courville.

• Another Pinot ($16.80) rallied from off the pace for a one-length win over Aliana in the $50,000 Filly and Mare Sprint. She covered six furlongs in 1:11.02. Luis Batista was aboard for the partnership of Glen Warren and trainer Andrew Leggio Jr.

• Warren, Leggio, and Batista hit the stakes jackpot again in the $50,000 Sprint with Warren’s Rebel ($18). The horse won by two lengths, covering six furlongs in 1:09.97. Warren owns the homebred trained by Leggio.