Voodoo Spell a win machine in starter allowance ranks

Voodoo Spell won the eighth race at Fair Grounds on Thursday. Of course he did. The race was a turf sprint written for $5,000 starter-allowance horses or $10,000 claimers, and Voodoo Spell is virtually unbeatable in races like that. On Thursday, he moved to the lead more than a furlong out with the greatest of ease, but, being Voodoo Spell, he decided that his work was done, immediately putting on the brakes before doing just enough to win by a half-length.

Voodoo Spell is a character. He bobs and weaves in his stall and can be virtually impossible to put a saddle on, though he’s fine once he’s out on the track.

“He’s a bully, is what he is,” said owner-trainer Hugh Robertson. “He acts the way you’d expect since Clayton spoils him so much. Clayton’s like his goat – if Clayton’s not around, he throws a fit.”

Clayton is Clayton Pierce, Robertson’s assistant and surely Voodoo Spell’s No. 1 fan. And why wouldn’t he be? Voodoo Spell is no stakes horse, but he’s a ferocious competitor, and his win Thursday was his 14th from 29 starts. That record looks even better when you cross out five bad losses to start Voodoo Spell’s career late in 2013 and early in 2014.

“He wasn’t trying at all at first,” Robertson said. “He was perfectly sound, but he’d just gallop around there.”

Robertson sent Voodoo Spell to Hawthorne in the early spring of 2014, ran him as low as he could in an $8,000 maiden, and Voodoo Spell was on his way. In his last 24 starts, Voodoo Spell is 14-7-3, and he’s an iron horse, having already raced five times at this meet. Robertson said he might run Voodoo Spell once more at this meet if another turf starter allowance comes up, after which Voodoo Spell will get a well-deserved rest.