Superior Storm goes over $1 million with Delta victory

Superior Storm became a millionaire at Delta Downs on Friday night, when she held off Harlie’s Dream by a neck to win the $100,000 Magnolia in her first start since July.

The race was one of two stakes on the program at the Vinton, La., track. In the co-feature, the $100,000 Gold Cup, 1-2 favorite Star Guitar was also bidding to become a millionaire. But he fell short of the milestone when he finished fourth to dominant winner Snug. The races Friday were restricted to Louisiana-breds, and will produce starters for the Louisiana Champions Day program at Fair Grounds on Dec. 11.

Superior Storm ($4.20) racked up her 13th stakes victory in the Magnolia, and the race’s first-place check of $60,000 pushed her earnings to $1,016,123. She tracked the pace in third early in the one-mile stakes, and covered the distance on a fast track in 1:39.60. John Jacinto was aboard Superior Storm for Jac Mac Stable and trainer Rick Jackson.

Jackson said Superior Storm could run next in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies. The Magnolia was her first start since finishing fourth in the $100,000 Louisiana Showcase Distaff at Evangeline Downs. Jackson attributed her subpar effort in the Louisiana Showcase Distaff to a failure to sweat in the summer heat, and she was given time off to regroup. The Showcase Distaff was Superior Storm’s first loss in a Louisiana-bred stakes race in a streak that had dated back to 2007. She is a 5-year-old by Stormy Atlantic.

Snug has been one of the better Louisiana-breds in training for a while now, and he paid a surprising $58.60 when he rallied for a 4 3/4-length win over Kissimmee Kyle in the Gold Cup. Star Guitar, the race’s defending champ who had not lost a statebred stakes in 10 starts, had a wide trip and was beaten six lengths. Snug covered the mile in 1:38.33. Gerard Melancon was aboard the horse for trainer Jim Hudson.

Snug has now won five stakes and $520,720 for Heiligbrodt Racing Stable. He came into the Gold Cup off a fifth-place finish in the $50,000 John Franks Memorial at Louisiana Downs on Aug. 28. He was beaten a 1 1/2 lengths f in the turf race, won by Kissimmee Kyle. Snug’s win in the Gold Cup improved his Delta record to 4 for 7.