Takes Two to Tango finds first stakes victory in Louisiana Cup Sprint

Takes Two to Tango became a stakes winner on Saturday when he set the pace and went on to a 3 1/2-length victory over Black Sword in the Louisiana Cup Sprint at Louisiana Downs.

It was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third to Brian’s Iron Mike.

The Sprint was one of six stakes on the card. The races were restricted to Louisiana-breds, and each was worth $67,000.

Takes Two to Tango ($7.80) took the field through an opening quarter in 22.72 seconds and a half-mile in 45.69. He went on to cover six furlongs for 3-year-olds and up in 1:10.89. The track was fast for the race, which closed out the card with a competitive field of sprinters.

“Today, he broke very alert and controlled the pace,” winning rider Luis Quinonez said in an interview broadcast by Louisiana Downs. “Turning for home, when I called on him, he was there.”

Takes Two to Tango is a son of Half Ours and the multiple stakes-winning mare Doyouwanttodance. Quinonez was aboard for Doyouwanttodance when she won her maiden and a conditioned allowance in 2007 at Oaklawn, according to statistical data from Daily Racing Form.

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Takes Two to Tango races for his breeder, Melissa Cantacuzene. He is trained by Jose Luis Garcia. Takes Two to Tango is now 6 for 16 for earnings of $164,190.

Double for Deville-Pomier

Trainer Chasey Deville-Pomier had a stakes double on the card, when Free Like a Girl won the seventh stakes race of her career in the Filly and Mare Sprint and Janet Is Ready won her second straight stakes in the Juvenile Fillies.

Free Like a Girl ($4.20) was facing older horses for the first time and settled off the pace set by Drop Dead Sexy, who jumped out to a clear lead and put up fractions of 22.33 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.38 for the half-mile. Free Like a Girl reeled that one in through the stretch en route to a 6 1/2-length victory over Drop Dead Sexy. It was another half-length back in third to Snowball.

Free Like a Girl, who was cutting back from two turns, covered six furlongs in 1:10.69.

Pedro Cotto Jr. was aboard the winner for the partnership of Gerald Bruno Jr., Carl Deville, Jerry Caroom, and Deville-Pomier, who is the daughter of Carl Deville.

Free Like a Girl is a daughter of El Deal. She has now won 8 of 15 starts for earnings of $464,073.

Janet Is Ready ($13.20) wired the field in the Juvenile Fillies, for a length win over Guitar Woman. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to 3-5 favorite Lady Flurry.

Janet Is Ready set fractions of 22.30 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.03 for the half-mile. She drifted out late and despite giving up ground maintained her advantage while covering 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.65.

Vicente Del-Cid was aboard for Bruno Jr., Caroom, Carl Deville and Our Blue Streak Stable.

Janet Is Ready, who is by Custom for Carlos, came into the race off a stakes win at Prairie Meadows.

*Bisping ($9.60) was always prominent for a 3 3/4-length win over Ranch Water in the Juvenile. The winner covered 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.90. Devin Magnon was aboard for trainer Ricky Courville. Bisping, who had last raced at Belmont Park, is by El Deal.

*City Park ($12.80) rallied for a 1 3/4-length win over Charlie G in the Turf Classic. The winner covered 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:41.23. Joel Dominguez was aboard the son of Temple City for MAT Investments and trainer Eduardo Ramirez.

*Cheapskate Diva ($9.80) was a half-length winner over Fort Polk in the Distaff. The winner covered the 1 1/16 miles on turf for fillies and mares in 1:41.92. Carlos L. Marquez was aboard the daughter of Animal Kingdom for Keith Plaisance and trainer Joseph Felks.

*Handle on the seven-race card was more than $1 million, according to the race charts by Equibase.