Title Ready pulls clear in Louisiana Stakes
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
Wins No. 3 and 4 for Title Ready came by very narrow margins, but he left no doubt notching his fifth career victory Saturday at Fair Grounds in the Grade 3, $125,000 Louisiana Stakes.
Title Ready had been away from the races a year when he came back this past July for new trainer Dallas Stewart. He won by a head in his allowance comeback and ran competitively in a pair of Grade 2’s, though not so much in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Grade 1 Clark. But, dropping down in class Saturday, Title Ready really stepped up.
Brian Hernandez Jr. rode Title Ready for the first time and kept him within striking distance of an apparently slow pace in the 1 1/16-mile Louisiana. Blackberry Wine took the initiative and established a clear early lead through posted fractions of 25.28 seconds and 49.53, which would be extremely slow for the class level. Wells Bayou, the 2-1 favorite making his first start since May, raced in closest attendance to the lone leader as Title Ready waited in fourth. Wells Bayou came under a ride before the quarter pole while doing nothing to diminish Blackberry Wine’s lead, but Title Ready gathered meaningful momentum at the three-sixteenths pole. He came resolutely outside Blackberry Wine and Wells Bayou, collared the leader a half-furlong from the finish, and pulled away to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
Title Ready stopped the timer in 1:44.27 over a fast track and paid $13 to win. Blackberry Wine comfortably held second over Wells Bayou as Sonneman was along for fourth. Then came Silver Prospector, Captivating Moon, and a badly beaten Grand Luwegee. Indimaaj and My Boy Jack were scratched.
Title Ready is a 6-year-old Charles Fipke homebred by More than Ready out of Title Seeker, by Monarchos. The 6-year-old is an entire horse whose second dam is the great Hall of Famer Personal Ensign, and this, his first graded stakes win, could enhance his chances of catching on as a stallion. That opportunity won’t come for at least a year, and maybe this horse is ready for something even better later this Fair Grounds meet.