Witt Ante puts streak on the line

Witt Ante, one of the top 3-year-old Louisiana-breds in training, will bid for his third straight win Saturday night in the $100,000 Clyde B. Stevens Stakes at Delta Downs in Vinton, La.

The seven-furlong race for 3-year-old statebreds will be run around two turns, and has drawn a field of eight.

Witt Ante has finished no worse than second in six career starts, and in his last two starts has gone from winning at six furlongs in the $85,000 Louisiana Futurity on Dec. 27 to 1 1/16 miles in the $75,000 Crescent City Derby on Jan. 18. Both races were for statebreds, and both were at Fair Grounds.

Witt Ante's other career stakes win came in October in the $40,000 Stardust for statebreds at Louisiana Downs.

"He's just a runner," said Larry Robideaux, who trains Witt Ante for David Beard.

Witt Ante will be turning back in distance for the Stevens, but the move does not concern Robideaux.

"If it was six furlongs, I would be worried, but not seven," Robideaux said.

Robideaux said Witt Ante has flourished since his last start, when he won the Crescent by 2 3/4 lengths over Meteor Impact, who in December won the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile.

Kirk LeBlanc, who has ridden Witt Ante in all of his races, has the return call Saturday.

Brian Hernandez will ride Lac Laronge, who was third in the Crescent and came back in his next start to win a seven-furlong conditioned allowance at Delta on Feb. 6. He led wire to wire over a good track, drawing off by 8 1/2 lengths to earn a 91 Beyer Speed Figure.

Lac Laronge races for Valene Farms and is trained by Bryon Gilbert.

Also in the race is Zarb's Music, a winner of his last two starts, who will be ridden by Robby Albarado.

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